Liz Arnold, author of Message to Love

Hi, Emma! I’m so happy to be here today. I love your blog. It’s gorgeous!

How are your story ideas born?

Stories are everywhere around me. When I need something, I just pause, look up from the keyboard, and grab at something spinning around me. If it tingles in my hand, I know I have a winner and I work on it.

How many works in progress do you have?

In romantic fiction I have one piece in the hopper set in 1790 pioneer days of Ohio and the original “Northwest Territory”. In non-fiction I am working on a workbook to accompany my book in print for writers.

What is your writing process?

I write on the fiction daily a little at a time. I write 20 blog posts or more per month between all the fiction, non-fiction, book reviews, and editing I do so I keep ideas simmering constantly. I write something every day of the week.

What writing mechanic challenges you?

I’m a grammar freak but believe it or not, spelling is my arch enemy. It’s always been an issue for me. Don’t know why, but I spend a lot of time correcting my spelling in a document.

What’s your favorite part of the writing process?

Checks and publishing. And readers. I LOVE readers.

What’s your least favorite part of the writing process?

I write because I love it all no matter what, but I could say poor quality writing with lots of passive voice bugs me to read.

How long did it take to write your latest release?

Gracious, MESSAGE TO LOVE began as a dream a long time ago that would not let go of me. I worked on it awhile and revised it many times before The Wild Rose Press contracted it. Then I was caught in an editor change there and it took a bit of time to get it published.

Do you have a favorite line or scene from your story?

My favorite scene from MESSAGE TO LOVE is the night time arrival of the messenger to the shores of Cuba. Lt. Rollins McBride is assigned the duty of meeting and protecting the messenger who is delivering a message to General Calixto Garcia of Cuban rebel forces offering the aid and assistance of the United States to help Cuba free themselves from Spanish rule. It’s the actual historic event that MESSAGE TO LOVE is based on. It’s called “The Message to Garcia” written in 1899.

MESSAGE TO LOVE

LIZ ARNOLD

THE WILD ROSE PRESS

www.thewildrosepress.com

Blurb

Audra Wakely’s father has been seized by Spanish authorities and imprisoned for sympathizing with Cuban rebels. Raising the money to bribe officials if necessary, she sets off for Cuba to rescue her father. She doesn’t bargain on the interference of any U.S. officials—that is until she meets Rollins McBride.

Lt. Rollins McBride of the newly designated U.S. Naval Intelligence service is assigned to track Audra on her journey. He’s to arrest Greg Wakely, a U.S. citizen, for treason and gun smuggling. His mission and his heart are taken by surprise by the feisty beauty who sets a stubborn path toward finding her father and proving he isn’t a traitor—no matter what or who gets in her way.

Sizzle, spice, and intrigue heats up the Spanish American War in MESSAGE TO LOVE.

Excerpt

“It was a dream, just a very bad dream.”

She stepped back out of his hold. Clammy spots of moist heat lingered on her arms where his hands had been.

“I’m all right now.” Audra reached for the door and noticed the sickly sweet odor of liquor on his breath. “You can leave now. I want to go back to bed.” She pulled open the door and gestured into the hall.

“Sorry, but this time you’re going, too.” Rollins strode over to the dresser and pulled out a drawer. “Better pack. We have just under two hours.”

“I’m not in the mood for comedy, Rollins,” she sighed. “I’m really very, very tired. I’ve got to get some rest. Now—”

“Let me make myself clear.” He sounded gruff. “I said we’re leaving, and unless you want to get on a ship bound for Santiago with your shirttails hanging out, better change and get ready.” He made to leave the room. “I hope you have a shawl or something. It’s gotten cooler out, and we have half an hour in a wagon to get to port.” Then he vanished into his own room next door, leaving Audra gape-mouthed in the hallway.

“Who does he think he is?” She growled as she stamped her foot against the cold hard floor. “Infuriating! He is absolutely infuriating!” Audra heaved the door shut with gusto. “These are not my shirttails, either!”

Amazon buy link (print and digital)

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=message+to+love+liz+arnold

The Wild Rose Press buy link (print and digital)

http://thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=495&zenid=5211e46f5b21103c2a01fe5c9b8df3ee

Liz Arnold is an author, freelance editor, and teacher living with her family in the mid-east.

I would love to send readers a free bookmark! Send me a SASE to P.O. Box 1322, Parkersburg, WV 26102

Blog:

http://www.lizarnoldbooks.wordpress.com

Please visit, subscribe, and talk to me!

Thanks, Emma!

Hugs,

Liz

Tuesday Teaser and Review of Not Without Risk by Sarah Grimm

The wonderful and talented Cate Masters introduced me to Tuesday Teaser. The rules. 1) Open current read to random page. 2) Pick two sentences (but not spoilers) 3) Include author and title. 4) Share at http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/.

I just finished Not Without Risk by Sarah Grimm late Monday night. What better way to dive into the Tuesday Teaser than to share two lines from pg. 30 - 31 of a wonderful romantic suspense?

"All of her hair was pulled to the front of her body, leaving the camera with a clear, unobstructed view of her nude back. His eyes, as he was certain had been the photographer’s intent, traced the woman’s every curve, every vertebrae down to the cleft just above her buttocks and to the small, colorless butterfly tattoo therein."

What beautiful writing.

I was lucky enough to win my copy of Not Without Risk for visiting with Sarah Grimm while she was doing promotion. And in the interest of full disclosure, Sarah is a fellow author at The Wild Rose Press and was interviewed here earlier this month. However, my general rule is to not say anything if I don't have anything nice to say. No worries with Not Without Risk--there's plenty nice to say.

Below is my review posted at Goodreads.

Paige ran not only from a horrible crime, but from who the person she was. Years of hard work and determination helped her realize her dream of becoming a successful, professional photographer and an independent woman. One phone call changed it all.

A fateful shooting caused Justin to re-evaluate his life. Two days back on the job and he exactly what he wanted--to prove to himself and everyone else he was capable of doing his job well. Even though his body desires Paige at first glance, his mind labels her as untouchable--a possible suspect to murder.

However, when Paige becomes the target of the real murderer's whims, Justin can no longer deny his attraction. Paige, on the other hand, is determined to prove she needs no one.

Wonderful push and pull between the characters builds sexual tension until the pages are scorching. The intrigue is done nicely and while I had my suspicions, I didn't actually know the who or the why until Justin figured it out for me. Well done!

Monday Contests

Alas, no author contests to report today. Don't forget to email me your contest news at EmmaLaiWrites (at) gmail (dot) com.

Win a free 40 page critique from TwentyOrLessPress. Visit http://twentyorlesspress.com/blog for details. Contest ends Thursday, March 31st.

Loreen Augeri, author of Tormented Hearts

How are your story ideas born?

I tend to let my mind wander when I am walking or when I should be sleeping at night.  For this story I had an image of a woman fleeing through the forest. When I begin writing a story, I usually start with the characters. I give the hero and heroine a goal, a reason why they want to achieve that goal, and then a conflict that prevents them from getting what they desire. And then I just start writing. I don’t plot my stories ahead of time. The characters take over and write the story for me.

How many works in progress do you have?

Three. One that I am almost finished editing. Another I just started editing.  And a story I started writing this week.

What is your writing process?

I set a goal of how many pages I want to write or edit every week. My life is different every day so I get more pages done on some days than others, which is why I set a weekly goal. Sometimes I write in the morning and at other times in the afternoon.  Some people like to listen to music while they write. I like complete quiet. I see the action taking place in my head like a movie.

What writing mechanic challenges you?

Description. While I develop a life for my characters, I tend to forget to show what is going on around them.

What’s your favorite part of the writing process?

Creating lives for the characters and writing their story. And of course, completing the manuscript.

What’s your least favorite part of the writing process?

Editing. Some authors tell me they like editing because that is when the story comes together for them. I love the creating part of writing. I find editing tedious.

How long did it take to write your latest release?

I wrote it in about six months. But then because I write in longhand, I have to type it into the computer. Editing is the longest part of the process for me because I go over the manuscript again and again and again. So I would say two years from beginning to end.

Do you have a favorite line or scene from your story?

The scene I like best is when the hero is invited to a picnic and the heroine is told she must go. I feel this is where they first get together emotionally, and the hero begins to unravel a small part of the secret the heroine is keeping.  It is too long to post here, but I will post another excerpt. To learn more about me, Tormented Hearts, or to access buy links go to www.loreenaugeri.com

Blurb:

     The world of Brett Armstrong, the Earl of Tremont, collapses when his wife and unborn child die. Determined to punish himself for the part he played in their demise, he turns his back on society and retreats to the country.  Hard, physical labor during the day and mind-numbing gin at night help to keep at bay the demons that threaten to devour him.  Until Catherine Hammond creeps into his world.  Not wishing to resurrect his dormant emotions and the resulting pain, Brett struggles against the sensuality she exudes and battles to defeat his rising desire.

     Abused by her aristocratic husband, commoner Catherine Hammond flees from his cruelty.  Her hope is to hide and create a new life.  She vows to never again associate with the upper classes that have heaped unbearable pain upon her family.  Escaping without funds, Catherine is forced to work as a servant in the Earl of Tremont's household.  His tantalizing, amorous advances ignite a fire within the cold regions of her heart, but she refuses to fall in love with a man who may destroy her.

                                                                                                                                         

Excerpt:

     As she stalked past him, his fingers grazed her shoulder to halt her. A sizzling warmth pierced her skin and swirled throughout her body. Catherine restrained the gasp that fought to break from her lips. She’d prayed the sensations she experienced last night resulted from the lingering effects of the dream and lack of sleep, but they seared her again.

     Brett jerked his hand back as if she scalded him, and it hovered in the air above her shoulder. Unsure, she turned to him. The pulse in his temple beat at a frantic rate, and the muscles in his jaw clenched. It affected him, too. She delved deep into his eyes, and the turmoil that appeared to tear him in different directions caught and captured her.

     She yearned for the heat of his fingers to engulf her again, to feel his body pressed against hers like last night, the whisper of his breath on her cheek, the exquisite thrill of not being alone. Her gaze fell to his appealing, moist lips. Not thin and dry like Lord Wallingford’s.

     Brett leaned toward her and then withdrew. He swallowed, and his Adam’s apple bobbed before he cleared his throat. “You can stay here with him.”

     She blinked as the strange immediacy to be embraced faded away. What had she been thinking? She never wanted another man to touch her. Ever. Especially not one of his station.

How Do You Find Time For That? by Barbara Mountjoy

“How Do You Find Time For That?”

I have multiple real lives, as many of us do. I’m a mother of seven, the three youngest with assorted special needs and autism. I’m a wife, determined to make this marriage work despite a lot of demands. I’m an attorney with a family law practice, helping parents whose children are in the dependency system, as well as the usual custody, divorce and support matters. I’m also dealing with a parent dying of cancer, who’s moved into my house with the help of Hospice.

            

But the persona that makes me really feel alive is my time as an author. I’ve been published for money since I was 18 years old, spending several years as a newspaper reporter and editor, writing freelance, publishing my own magazine in the 1990s, writing articles and reviews for online sites, writing content for several blogs. But I always wanted to be a novelist.

            

Now I am.

            

In April, I’ll have two novels released, Secrets in the Sand, from The Wild Rose Press, and The Elf Child, the second book in my urban fantasy series from Dragonfly Publishing.When I share this news with my colleagues, the question they always ask is, “How do you find time for that?”

            

The answer is that I can’t do anything else. 

Spending time with the characters I create, solving their crises with them, helps me have the patience to deal with our oppositional defiant child who lies, steals and generally makes our lives miserable, despite hours of therapy each week. Helping my heroine conquer her resistance to letting a man into her life, makes me realize how lucky I am to have my husband, who encourages my writing and feeds my creative spark. Breathing life into my stories helps distract me from the life that’s slipping away from my father. Writing keeps me sane in an insane existence.  

            

Some days I’m lucky, and I have several hours to write. More often, I’m scribbling a chapter outline or fleshing out a character flaw in ten minutes, waiting at the doctor’s office or holding on the phone for another busy attorney. Half an hour between court hearings can give me a good three or four handwritten pages. My every-other-week critique group spurs me to have a chapter done and ready to go. Every moment is an opportunity to make progress.

            

How about you? How does writing help you keep yourself on track every day, week or month?

Barbara Mountjoy has been writing ever since she was a little girl, unable to control the urge of stories that wanted to percolate through her fingers into the keyboard. Or back then, onto the old Royal typewriter. (Before the TRS-80 even! Wow!) She's been a published writer for 35 years, including seven years as a news reporter and editor in South Florida, and has contributed to two Cup of Comfort volumes. Her non-fiction book 101 Little Instructions for Surviving Your Divorce, was published by Impact Publishers in 1999, and her first novel, The Elf Queen came out in 2010. The Elf Queen is the first of the Clan Elves of the Bitterroot series, (under the pen name Lyndi Alexander);The Elf Child comes out in April 2011 and The Elf Mage in 2012. Learn more at http://clanelvesofthebitterroot.com.

 Her romantic suspense novel Secrets in the Sand (under her second pen name Alana Lorens) will be released by the Wild Rose Press in April 2011. Her women's fiction book Second Chances comes out from Zumaya Publications in 2012. She blogs about autism, writing and life at http://awalkabout.wordpress.com, and continues to write tech articles and TV reviews at Firefox News online.

Attention All Writers

Twenty Or Less Press has a contest running where the prize(s) is a free critique of up to 10,000 words (up to 40 pages) or a short story, novella or book. All you have to do is follow them @TwentyOrLess. If you send out a tweet about it with a mention of @TwentyOrLess then you're entered in a separate drawing with the same prize.

Check out http://twentyorlesspress.com/blog/ for full details.

Speaking of critiques, I'm looking for a critique partner. Shoot me an email if you're interested.

Monday Contest News

To celebrate the release of Hooking Up, author Lynne Roberts is having a contest.

Prize: $5 The Wilder Rose Press gift certificate

Duration: Winner drawn Wednesday, March 23rd

Link: http://lynneroberts.blogspot.com/?zx=1daca42d98489e82

Blurb for Hooking Up:

Trisha is tired of tame, tired of predictable. After years of playing the supporting role, she longs for one night of unrestrained sensuality, a night of passion to reawaken the woman she once was. Can she step out of her comfort zone and into the arms of a stranger for a single taste of erotic abandon? 

Calling All Contests

I'm thinking about using Mondays on my blog to promote contests of my fellow authors. If you're interested send me the following information.

Sponsor: author name or group name

Contest: (for example Win $25 Amazon gift card.)

Duration: (I'll run each Monday for the duration.)

Link: where can people find more information

Optional: small cover if promoting a book or other image
 

Feel free to pass this on.

Sarah Grimm, author of Not Without Risk

How are your story ideas born?

One scene will come to me, usually in dialogue, and the rest of the story is built around it. With NOT WITHOUT RISK it was a scene that takes place in Chapter Four, where the hero, Sergeant Justin Harrison, asks the heroine ‘Why would someone want you dead, Paige?’

How many works in progress do you have?

Only one. I can’t write more than one story at a time, and I can’t seem to let go of a story once it has taken hold. I may jot down a few sentences or notes on a future project, but that’s it.

What is your writing process?

I’m supposed to have a process? *grin*

I go in spurts. I wish I could say I was one of those writers who sits at the keyboard every single day and puts words on the page, but I’m not. I get distracted by things like my teenagers, the dirty dishes, talking with friends. Then my characters start yelling at me and I get back to it. I actually work best under deadline, because I can’t get off course.

What’s your favorite part of the writing process?

When the characters (otherwise known as the voices in my head) reveal their hopes and fears to me, allowing me to help them fall in love and achieve their happily-ever-after.

Wow, that makes me sound a little bit nuts, doesn’t it? LOL

What’s your least favorite part of the writing process?

When my characters first begin talking to me. I love the beginning, the rush that comes with the first kernel of an idea.

How long did it take to write your latest release?

I have at least four different, completed versions of NOT WITHOUT RISK. It was the first book I wrote from Chapter One to The End, so it went through quite a lot of revisions and edits before it was ever submitted. So that one is impossible to say how long it took.

My upcoming release, AFTER MIDNIGHT, took about seven weeks to write. Isabeau’s story just flowed out of me! Probably because I had wanted to tell her story for so long-- seven weeks is extremely fast for me!

Do you have a favorite line or scene from your story?

My favorite line comes from Justin’s mother: “To love someone, to have someone return that love is…It’s a risk, certainly, but what is life if not a risk?”

Not Without Risk Blurb:

Six agonizing months after a slug collapsed his lung, Sergeant Justin Harrison manages to return to the one place where he shines—the San Diego homicide division. Nothing will stand in the way of proving he is fit for active duty. Especially not the long-legged brunette who just stumbled into his crime scene.

Photographer Paige Conroy spent years hiding from her past. Then a late night telephone call brings it crashing back. An old friend is in town and needs her help. When she arrives at his hotel room four hours later, he's dead. Suddenly, she's the target of a madman, and Paige must turn to Sergeant Harrison for protection. 

But who is the bigger threat to her... the faceless assailant she fears will steal her life or the dark-eyed detective she knows could steal her heart?

BUY LINK: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/sarah-grimm-m-640.html

Where to find Sarah:

My website:  http://www.sarahgrimm.com

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/SarahGrimm.Author

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/SGrimmAuthor

Review - Jennifer Jake's Rafe's Redemption

I was lucky enough to win a copy of Rafe's Redemption for visiting with Jennifer Jakes at Mia Marlowe's blog. And in the interest of full disclosure, Jennifer is a fellow author at The Wild Rose Press and interviewed here last month. However, I only recently 'met' Jennifer online when we happened to both be ramping up for our new releases.

Jennifer has done an excellent job of promoting her book. I have to admit, I've never been a big fan of frontier/western romances. My tastes lend themselves to elegant drawing rooms or the technology of the unknown future with some contemporary to mix it up every now and then. Now, I try to never say anything bad about a book. I realize that why I may not like a book others might. Some things just aren't my cup of tea whether because of setting or plot or characters. Whatever.

However, I have no problem with straight up saying Jennifer has a winner here. Five stars, hearts, books whatever you want to use to rate with. I recently signed up with Goodreads and Rafe's Redemption was the first book I tracked my progress on. Here are my comments as I was reading...

03/14	page 198		61.0%	"So many possibilities. Still have no clue what's going to happen. Great writing." 3 comments
03/14	page 159		49.0%	"The twists keep coming and the sex...wowser!"
03/13	page 99		31.0%	"Ooh...a good twist!"
03/13	page 49		15.0%	"Wow...so much has happened in just one chapter. Talk about sexual tension and erotic fantasies!"
03/11	page 34		10.0%	"Only a few pages in and the story has me guessing...so many interesting possibilities. Very fun."

I concluded with "Jennifer Jakes has talent." I was hooked by the end of the first chapter.

Maggie led a sheltered life until the death of her father. She worked up the courage to leave her home town and travel the West with big dreams of capturing the flavor of the frontier with her art and showcasing it back home. Unfortunately, her chaperone and cousin turned out to be a grade A ass.

Rafe fled the demons of his past and found sanctuary in Colorado. He exiled himself knowing the past has a way of catching up with a person. However, when he sees Maggie up for auction, his gentlemanly instincts refuse to let him abandon her to the cruelties of the savage men of the town.

I'm one of those people who are constantly trying to guess what's going to happen, and I can say with great pleasure that I was clueless for a large portion of the book. There is no predictability here other than the knowledge that a happy ending awaits. The sexual tension burns up the pages and when the character finally give in to nature, the sex is amazing. If you're looking for a page turner then I definitely recommend Rafe's Redemption.

P. L. Parker, author of Absolution and Savage Dawn

How are your story ideas born?

I love paranormal, all aspects.  I watch the Discovery Channel frequently and when something catches my eye, some historical fact, I store it away for future use.  My husband encouraged me to write a vampire story and that’s where Absolution came from.  I read vampire stories and have always wanted to try my hand at that genre.  I love reading them so it was a good choice.

How many works in progress do you have?

I just finished up Absolution and Into the Savage Dawn (sequel to Riley’s Journey) and am now working on a Sci-Fi story.  Almost finished with the first rough draft.  Stepping out of my comfort zone again and trying my hand at something different.  I have to admit, I’ve enjoyed writing this one.

What is your writing process?

I usually write during my breaks at work, about 30 minutes per day total, and then at the end of the week, I usually have 5 to 6 single spaced pages to send home and add to the manuscript.  Not a huge amount, but with my schedule, I feel pretty good about it.

What writing mechanic challenges you?

Describing the scene without sounding like I’m reciting.  Putting myself into my character’s POV and seeing it from their point of view.

What’s your favorite part of the writing process?

I love the interaction between the characters.  I talk to myself all the time so this part is easy. 

What’s your least favorite part of the writing process?

The synopsis/blurb before submission.  Sheesh – condensing a book to a single page or several pages and make it interesting is so hard.

How long did it take to write your latest release?

I have two latest releases, but in general, it takes me about 7 months on average from start to what I feel is finished.

Do you have a favorite line or scene from your story?

From Absolution (scene) – the boys are teaching Chloe to be a vampire:

“Just take a deep breath and jump.”  Benny urged her on, flipping through a book.  “Just imagine yourself flying.”

“Think ye I’m a lackwit that I would willingly leap to my death?”

“You won’t die.”  Shauna smiled, complacent in her understanding of the workings of a vampire.  “You’re already dead.”

From Into the Savage Dawn – actually in real life the reverse is true, I spend time ducking my husband’s flailing arms at night:

As she did every night, Allie rolled towards him, flapping her arm and banging him in the nose.  His eyes watered.  Shit that hurt!  You’d think by now he’d learn to duck.

Website:  www.plparker.com

Blog site:  www.plparker.blogspot.com

I am also on Facebook and Twitter.

Amie Louellen, author of Brodie's Bride

Thanks for having me on today, Emma.  I’m kinda excited—this is my very first interview. I’m glad it’s in writing, otherwise I might be too nervous to answer without stuttering around. This way, at least I can backspace over my “uhs…”

Let’s see…I’ve been writing for many years.  And like many writers, I have that one manuscript I hope and pray never sees the light of day. Over the years, I’ve had some close calls and sold a few shorts, but Brodie’s Bride is my very first sell in book length fiction. And I’m proud to announce it’ll be available from The Wild Rose Press June 24^th of this year!

Enough shameless promotion, let’s get this started!

How are your story ideas born?

A better question would be how are they NOT born. It seems like I’m surrounded by ideas all vying to get their share of attention. Sometimes a story idea will come from watching a movie. Usually a movie that is pegged as a romance and then doesn’t have a happy ending. So I start re-writing it. Sometimes the ideas stick, sometimes they’re reduced to a couple of lines scribbled on the back of a bank deposit receipt. But I still have ‘em if I need ‘em. Sometimes a “what if?” just falls out of the sky—these I don’t question. I just thank the idea fairies and take notes as fast as I can.

How many works in progress do you have?

Too many! Actually I’m working on a second story for the Wild Rose Press. It’s called Kaylee and the Cop. Like Brodie’s Bride, it’s light hearted and whimsical. It goes right along with my motto—Life’s too short to read depressing books.  I’m also working on a contemporary cowboy proposal targeted to Harlequin American.

What is your writing process?

I write every chance I get. But I especially write at night after everyone else in the house has gone to bed. I like the quiet in order to fully concentrate on my work. I can understand the voices in my head a little better when my ten year old and my husband aren’t “needing” me. I make it a habit to write every night, even if only for fifteen minutes.

What writing mechanic challenges you?

Run on sentences. I guess because I’m so chatty. . I start writing, and the next thing I know I’ve got a sentence spanning two pages. (Okay, okay, I’m exaggerating, but you get the idea.) Then I have to stop and start breaking the ideas down. Sometimes I like the rhythm that comes out of this re-write, sometimes I don’t.  To me, rhythm is one of the most important factors of writing. I’m always careful to keep it consistent with how I want the scene to flow—even when I’m cutting up sentences into chewable little pieces.

What’s your favorite part of the writing process?
I love everything about it! I really mean it. I love the “what if?” stage when I have just a couple of people who don’t even have names. I love figuring out what made them who they are in the story, and the effect it’ll have on them and those who surround them. I love creating a cute “meet,” putting obstacles in their way, and getting them to fall in love. I love watching it all unravel, and in the end, I love helping them get it all back together again. Yep, that’s about everything!

What’s your least favorite part of the writing process?

The waiting…yes, I consider this part of the process. I’ve always got an idea brewing somewhere. There seems to be an endless stream of people living in my head, falling in love and otherwise wreaking havoc in each other’s lives until they can actually admit that they’re falling in love. I work so hard to finish a book, then there’s the waiting, waiting, waiting on word to come back. That’s the hardest for me. And the synopsis, but everyone hates that part!

How long did it take to write your latest release?

I started Brodie’s Bride a while ago. I’m not going to say just how long ago it was, but I will admit that I had to go back in an account for his cell phone before submitting it to TWRP. It’s been complete for a couple of years, just collecting dust in my filing cabinet. Somehow (maybe the idea fairies) I decided to submit it to TWRP and here we are now. All in all—and the torturous waiting aside—it took about eight months to complete.

Do you have a favorite line or scene from your story?

I love the scene at the beginning when Brodie has just realized he’s married a woman he believes to be a hooker. Oh, and the dinner scene when Brodie and Savanna first get to his house. No wait. There’s the scene when they get to the ranch and their hostess is flitting around taking pictures and…well, I like that scene but it’s not my favorite. My real favorite is while they are at the ranch, Savanna falls into a stock pond which is used to water the cattle. Something swims into her shirt and, well, she can’t just leave it there now can she?

Whew! I didn’t stutter too bad, did I?

Thanks again for having me on! And don’t forget to come by for a visit.

www.amielouellen.com

http://amielouellen.wordpress.com/

On twitter—@amielouellen=][

Or on Facebook Amie Louellen-author

Amie Louellen--Brodie's Bride

Available 6/24/2011

from the Wild Rose Press

Amie Louellen loves nothing more than a good book.  Except for her family…and maybe homemade tacos…and shoes.  But reading and writing are definitely high on the list. When she's not creating quirky characters and happy endings she enjoys going to little league baseball games and boy scout meetings. Born and bred in Mississippi, Amie is a transplanted Southern Belle who now lives in Oklahoma with her deputy husband, their genius son, a spoiled cat, and one very hyper beagle.

Blurb--Waking up next to a beautiful golden-haired stranger isn’t the worst thing that has ever happened to Brodie Harper, but staying in a fake marriage in order to gain a new construction contract could very well be.

Savanna Morgan just wanted a way out of an engagement to a man she didn’t love.  Marrying Brodie seemed liked the perfect answer at the time.  Less perfect the next morning when she finds herself disowned by her father and flat broke.  Now she must make it through the weekend. Monday they can get it all annulled and forget it ever happened.

The real problem may be keeping their hands off each other until then.

Excerpt--

 “Married,” the official supplied with a happy nod.

For the first time since the blonde had screamed and set off the pounding in his head, Brodie noticed the band that circled the fourth finger of his left hand. Married. Images of a scarlet chapel and gold rings flitted through his mind. Lost in the fog of straight shots of tequila, the whole ordeal seemed liked a dream. But if what the man said was true...

Holy heaven. The last time Brodie had gotten drunk had been the day his grandfather died. Then, he’d only acquired a tattoo, but this time... Married? And to a hooker? A gorgeous hooker. An expensive hooker by the depleted state of his wallet, but a hooker none-the-less.

“Where’s my dress?”

Brodie half-turned as his hooker-bride stumped down the stairs, her naked glory covered by the rumpled satin sheet. One red, high-rise pump was missing.

“I wouldn’t know,” he replied, his headache tripling.

“You took it off. You find it.” She punched him hard in the chest with one red lacquered fingernail.

“You want it. You find it,” he countered.

“That dress was an Armani. And you—”

Brodie leaned away from the blonde and closer to the man behind the counter. “Are you sure we’re married?”

“Quite certain.”

“Married?” she squeaked.

“One hundred percent sure?” Brodie added.

“It was a lovely ceremony.”

“Married?”

Damn, Brodie thought. He was too nice of a guy, but he couldn’t stand the panic he heard in her voice. He faced her and took her left hand in his own, turning them both so she could see their identical rings. “Seems we tied the knot last night, sunshine.”