Category Archives: Interview

Janet Evanovich Swims with the Mermaids

Sometimes you just connect with a character. That’s me with Stephanie Plum – of course, I finally married my Jersey boy, but Stephanie and I definitely have the car problems in common. Don’t even get me started on the time I was stranded on a lonely stretch of  I-80 in Nebraska with a smoking engine. Not good.

So imagine how excited I was to get to interview Janet Evanovich. Yeah, I squealed and I’m only slightly ashamed to admit. The woman is a writing hero of mine. Reading her books featuring Stephanie Plum, Alex Barnaby and Elizabeth Tucker make me happy. Usually, I tear through them in one sitting carried along by the action, humor and story twists.

“It turns out I’m a really boring workaholic with no hobbies or special interests. My favorite exercise is shopping and my drug of choice is Cheeze Doodles,” Janet writes on her website. “I read comic books and I only watch happy movies. I motivate myself to write by spending my money before I make it. And when I grow up I want to be just like Grandma Mazur.”

Can the world really take a real-life Grandma Mazur? Oh hell yeah. I for one can’t wait for it. But until that happens, grab a cup of coffee – or if you’re like Lulu a plate of ribs – and spend a few minutes with Janet.

Set the scene for us, where are you and what are your three favorite objects within arms reach.

Coffee cup, computer keyboard and my pet bird Ida’s cage. I’m in my office in Naples, FL.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? Why?

I’m both. I start with a brief outline that gives me room to roam.

How often do you write and do you keep a set schedule? Do you ever start to get the shakes if you don’t write? 🙂

Seven days a week — usually eight hours at a clip. I don’t get the shakes, but I do feel the hot breath of the next deadline on my neck.

What is your celebratory treat for finishing a book?

Shopping!

For the sake of this question, your best friend is single, which one of your heroes would you set her up with?

I suppose Ranger. Then she can fill me in on all the details.

Stephanie Plum is such a popular character, do you find it challenging to break out and write non-Plum books? What kind of push back do you receive from your readers?

Yes, it is challenging, but I love the other characters and the worlds they inhabit. With regard to my new Diesel series, the vast majority of feedback is positive.

What was the last non-romance book you read that you’d recommend?

Anthony Bourdain’s Medium Raw.

What are your favorite pair of shoes and how do they reflect your personality?

My canvas tennies. I like to be comfortable.

What kind of support do you have as an author to help you with your website, e-mails, promotion and all the other non-writing parts of being a successful author?

I get great support from my daughter Alex who handles everything electronic and my son Peter who runs the business side of things.

With the increase in e-books, digital publishing, self publishing and all the changes in New York, where do you see the industry going and what are you doing to prepare?

I think we’re going to see more e-book publishing as time goes on. But whether they’re digital or ink on paper, readers will continue to read. I just have to keep writing the best books I can.

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Janet, thanks so much for stopping in at the Waterworld Mermaid lagoon! I can’t wait to read Explosive Eighteen. And for those of you who are as big of fans as I am, visit the Avery Flynn website to watch the trailer for One for the Money, which will be out Jan. 27. I think that calls for a Mermaid night out.

Carol Ericson Swims with the Mermaids

I have been lucky to belong to the GIAM writing communities for a couple of years now and the support, motivation, and friendship I’ve made has been amazing.  One of my support network is the very lovely Carol Ericson. Besides being one of the most popular Harlequin Intrigue authors, she has ventured into the area of self-publishing and has had great success with that as well!

And . . . you gotta love a woman who jumps in the middle of the Mr. Romance contestants and gets a pic for drooling posterity . . . sigh . . .


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1. Set the scene for us, where are you and what are your three favorite objects within arms reach.

I’m on a tropical beach and the objects within arm’s reach are a Georgette Heyer or Victoria Holt book, a Diet Coke, and my husband (not necessarily in that order).

2. Are you a plotter or a pantser? Why?

I’m a plantser!  I need to have some kind of outline so I know the direction of the story, and I can sit down and have the words flow from my brain to my fingertips.  But I’m not wedded to my outline.  If the story takes an unexpected turn or a character decides to do something off the map, I go with it.

3. How often do you write and do you keep a set schedule? Do you ever start to get the shakes if you don’t write? 🙂

Since I also work a day job, I try to write a little bit every day.  I try to keep to a schedule of writing 3-4 pages every day (some days are more successful than others).  I bring my AlphaSmart to work and write a few pages at lunch; then at night I transfer the Alphie pages to my computer, tweak them, and add a few more pages.  If I’m not writing, I’m definitely getting antsy.  I start talking to myself more than usual.

4. What is your celebratory treat for finishing a book?

Ah, I zone out in front of the TV for a few nights, usually watching enlightening fare like Dancing with the Stars or The Bachelorette.

5. For the sake of this question, your best friend is single, which one of your heroes would you set her up with?

One of my best friends IS single, and I’d set her up with Jack Coburn from Green Beret Bodyguard.  Jack is smart and literate and best of all…he has amnesia, so no pesky baggage to deal with.

6. What was the last non-romance book you read that you’d recommend?

I’ll leave off the political stuff here, although I do read a lot of political books.  I would recommend The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson.  It intertwines the stories of the construction of the Chicago World’s Fair and America’s first serial killer, H.H. Holmes, who had set up a house of horrors near the World’s Fair. A fascinating juxtaposition of two minds:  one that soared to create and one that was compelled to destroy.

7. What are your favorite pair of shoes and how do they reflect your personality?

Hmm, my favorite pair of shoes right now are low-heeled, aqua-colored, and pointy-toed.  I can wear them with jeans or skirts.  They reflect my personality because they’re a bit sharp, a bit quirky, and a bit practical.

8. What kind of support do you have as an author to help you with your website, e-mails, promotion and all the other non-writing parts of being a successful author?

Not enough!  I do have a website designer, Rae Monet, who is fabulous.  Rae also designs my indie pubbed ebook covers, which totally rock!  I answer all my fan mail personally. (I even got a handwritten letter forwarded to me by Harlequin from a reader who does not have a computer or email.  I sent her a handwritten letter back, along with copies of two of my Intrigues that she was missing.)  I also do all my own promo; however, I’m a member of several amazingly supportive groups who share a wealth of information about advertisers and promo sites.  But I still believe the most important part of being a successful author is writing good books, so most of my blood, sweat, and tears go into producing the best book I can write.

9. With the increase in e-books, digital publishing, self publishing and all the changes in New York, where do you see the industry going and what are you doing to prepare?

I think the explosion of ebooks and Kindles and Nooks and iPads is fantastic.  The more ways to read, the better!  I don’t believe hard copy books will ever go away.  There are too many people who enjoy the look and feel of a book, paperback or hardback, for them to disappear completely.  (OMG – have you seen the covers on the Sourcebook reissued Georgette Heyer books?  They’re lovely, and I don’t think you’d get the same effect of the cover on an e-reader.)  I believe the publishing industry has already sat up and taken notice of the trend and they are reacting to it in a variety of ways.  I can only speak specifically to Harlequin, and I know they are changing the way they are approaching digital books.  Personally, I’ve prepared by getting my ass on the bandwagon.  Last summer I self-published three romantic suspense books and a romantic comedy.  I’m especially thrilled with the progress of the romantic comedy.  For a book I could not sell to a traditional publisher, it took off last summer, making the Kindle top 100 bestseller list for contemporary romance.

10.  Writing sex scenes – agony or ecstasy?

I love writing sex scenes. 😉  I used to write erotic romance, and when I first started writing for Intrigue, I’m afraid I got a little carried away with the sex scenes.  Intrigue sex scenes are fun to write because if the hero and heroine are about to have sex, having sex, or have already done the deed, you just know something bad is about to happen!

 

Carol is giving away a copy of Green Beret Bodyguard to a lucky commenter and if you want a chance to win another book and read the rest of the answers to my question and another giveaway, hop on over to my blog, Burning up the Sheets.  See you there!

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Bio:  Best selling series romance author Carol Ericson suffers from a lack of privacy.  She always has a few characters floating in her head as well as snippets of dialogue and several “what if” scenarios.  She periodically purges all these voices and images by writing stories of romantic suspense for Harlequin Intrigue and recently for self publication.  When she’s not writing, Carol is busy reading other fabulous stories or running to her teenage sons’ soccer matches, water polo games and basketball games.  Carol and her family live in Southern California near the beach, where Carol is now officially the shortest person in her household.

Thanks for stopping by!

Robin Mermaid

 

Sarah Wendell Swims with the Waterworld Mermaids

Smart girls don’t like romance books. It’s totally true. I read it on the internet. Also, girls who wear glasses are not hot; airbrushing models in magazine ads is a total fallacy; and every man should shave their chest hair.

Ha. Could you imagine what a sad world we would live in if all that were true? Epic fail to use the parlance of our times (yep, watched The Dude last night). So imagine my delight in having Sarah Wendell joining us in the Waterworld Mermaid lagoon today. Sarah is not only one of the founders of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, but she has written two books about romance novels and their importance. You guessed it, I have a total girl crush on her and after reading this you will too.

Take it away, Sarah!

Set the scene for us, where are you and what are your three favorite objects within arms reach?

I’m in my office. The heat just came on and the thermonuclear radiator under my desk is so awesome I might have to go put on a bathing suit. My three favorite things within arm’s reach: Zeb, small 3 year old Cavalier mix; Buzz, medium sized Spaniel mix, and my cell phone, which is telling me it is snack time. YAY!

What was your celebratory treat for finishing “Everything I Know About Love I Learned From Romance Novels”?

A bottle of wine. I think it was red. I drank it. Oh, and some chocolate and a lot of sleep.

For the sake of this question, your best friend is single, what romance hero would you set her up with?

Ooh, tough question! I’d have to think about it, as there are so many very different heroes. It isn’t as if there’s one perfect dude for everyone and all the romance writers create books about him. Each hero is perfect for the heroine he’s matched with in each novel… so there’s no one perfect hero, alas.

What is the proper punishment for those who still don’t embrace the awesomeness of romance books?

I make you read one. A good one. One that’ll blow your mind.

What kind of support do you have as book blogger to help you with your website, e-mails, promotion?

Website, e-mail, promotion, content: that’s all me. I have an intern who just started but we’re still working out her responsibilities. Above all, the hubby, who helps me run the book club chats once a month and listens to me ramble about crazy ideas I’ve had.

With the increase in e-books, digital publishing, self publishing and all the changes in New York, where do you see the industry going and what are you doing to prepare?

I see the book buying public buying books as much as they ever did, and that’s about as far into prognostication as I can go. That said, these types of technological and commercial shifts have happened before, and they’ll happen again. Prices will change, literacy will change, book reading will change, but reading and literacy will remain and possibly increase. That’s a good thing.

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Amen to that! To celebrate Sarah getting in touch with her inner-Mermaid, we’re giving away a Kindle copy of “Everything I Know About Love I Learned from Romance Novels” to one lucky commenter. All you have to do is tell us what romance novels have taught you about love by 11:59 p.m. EST Nov. 22. The Waterworld Mermaids’ lucky seahorse, Mr. Smarmy Pants, will pick the winner at random.

If you, like me, dig the smart ones, come on over to the Avery Flynn blog where Sarah chats some more. I’m giving away a Kindle copy of Sarah’s first book, “Beyond Heaving Bosoms,” over there.

Anita Clenney Splashes in the Mermaid Pond


Today we are joined by NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Anita Clenney. She grew up an avid reader, devouring Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books before moving on to mysteries and romance. After working as a secretary, a Realtor, teacher’s assistant, booking agent for Aztec Fire Dancers, and a brief stint in a pickle factory (picture Lucy and Ethel–lasted half a day)…she realized she’d missed the fork in the road that led to her destiny. Now she spends her days writing mysteries and paranormal romantic suspense about Secret Warriors, Ancient Evil and Destined Love. Anita lives in suburban Virginia, outside Washington DC, with her husband and two kids. Anita has agreed to share with us a recent chat she had with Cody MacBain, hero of her second book, Embrace the Highland Warrior.

Anita: I’m sure you have better things to do, Cody, but thanks for joining me.

Cody: We’ll have to make it quick. I have an appointment with a demon.

Anita: Does the demon know that?

Cody: ‘Course not. It’s all about stealth. That’s how the clan has survived this long.

Anita: Can’t you get one of the other warriors to handle him?

Cody: <Crosses his arms> You know bloody well, the powerful demons have to be assigned. You want me to send Faelan or Ronan and have them killed.

Anita: Uh, sorry. I’m sure the ladies wouldn’t appreciate having Ronan killed.

Cody: <Frowns, narrowing his hazel eyes> You saying the ladies like Ronan better than me?

Anita: No. That wasn’t what I meant at all, although he does seem to have a pull for the female sex. You’re just fine. Better than fine, actually, with all that dark hair, strong jaw, and intense eyes. Can I get a drink please? No, don’t let Brodie get it. He likes to play tricks. So can you tell us about these demons, or does that violate some kind of warrior code?

Cody: There is a warrior code. Centuries ago, they would have eliminated anyone who found out about the warriors, for the good of humanity, you understand. I’m making an exception here, since it’s Halloween. I want to warn people that there are real monsters hiding out there, creatures that make Lord of the Rings look like a fairy tale.

Anita: Sounds…unpleasant.

Cody: Life’s unpleasant.

Anita: Not all of it. You and Shay used to have a lot of fun.

Cody: Aye. Back then.

Anita: Shay didn’t know then what was going on? She thought all that training was just a game?

Cody: <Shifts in his seat> But I couldn’t tell her who she really was. It wasn’t my place.

Anita: But you were her best friend…do you regret not telling her now?

Cody: <Stares at a little tattoo on his wrist that looks like a sword> Aye. I regret lots of things.

Anita: Care to elaborate?

Cody: No.

Anita: Okay then. So tell me about your brothers.

Cody: <Shrugs> What’s to know? They’re like all brothers, make you crazy one minute, saving your backside the next.

Anita: Lachlan’s your younger brother. He reminds me of Ronan.

Cody: Aye, he’s a handful, and he’s usually got his hands full…if you know what I mean.

Anita: I think I do. I saw him eyeing Anna earlier.

Cody: <Snorts> Anna will put him in his place. She wants nothing to do with men. Unless she’s sparring with one.

Anita: You seem close to the other warriors, but they live in Scotland. You and your family spent most of your lives in America.

Cody: It was our mission. We had to protect Shay. But we had other missions as well. The world is a warrior’s battlefield. We travel wherever our assigned demons go. We don’t spend much time at home.

Anita: That explains the lack of accent. There’s just a hint of brogue.

Cody: That’s part of our disguise. We have to blend in with our surroundings. And we don’t want the demons to know where we’re from.

Anita: Doesn’t the kilt ruin that plan? <Looks at Cody’s kilt>

Cody: We only wear them at home, not in battle. Except Faelan. We’re having a hard time getting him out of his. <sexy grin> Though he takes it off a lot for Bree.

Anita: <Clears throat>Well, he is from the 19th century. Kilts were more common then. Should I ask if it’s true…what you wear, or don’t wear, underneath?

Cody: <Another grin, drops open his knees> I could show you.

Anita: Please don’t. <If he wasn’t careful, she’d find out regardless…Fanning>Water, I didn’t get my water. Tell me more about Shay. You seem uncomfortable when I mention her. I know you were close growing up. How close?

Cody: <Grin fades> What do you mean?

Anita: I mean, were you best friends?

Cody: <Rubs the tattoo on his neck> You could say that. We knew everything about each other.

Anita: Everything? Are you sure about that? I hear there were secrets.

Cody: <shifting in seat, again> Let’s talk about something else besides Shay.

Anita: You know your voice sounds different when you say her name.

Cody: <Scowls, and a racket sounds outside door. A horrible screeching sound as the door splinters. Bloody hell! I think the demon’s found me.

Anita: <jumps up> Maybe the kilt gave you away.

Cody: <Pulls a dirk from his boot, hits a button extending it to a sword> You’d better hide. You might be able to write books, but you can’t fight worth crap.

Anita: Okay, looks like the chat is over. Oh my God. Did you see that thing? It looked like an Orc.

Cody: He’s one of the prettier ones.  

Anita: <Jumps up, runs toward a closet, glancing over shoulder> Are you opening your talisman? Good grief, you’re opening it. You’ll kill me.

Cody: I told you to hide. Close the door and cover your eyes or this’ll be your last book.

Anita: <Hides in closet and covers eyes as a blinding flash penetrates the darkness> If you want to know more about Cody and Shay, here’s a blurb for Embrace the Highland Warrior, available now.

They were driven apart by a timeless secret…

Cody MacBain let the woman of his destiny slip away. A member of an ancient clan of Scottish warriors, he grew up beside Shay Logan as her secret protector, but his heart compelled him to become more. Until Shay’s true identity was revealed, and the fated pair’s chance was gone…

But danger will drive them back into each other’s arms…

Shay fell for the boy next door, suspecting nothing of the ancient secrets he guarded. After a stinging betrayal, she’s determined to banish the memories of her first love forever. But the past can’t let go, and the boy she once loved has returned to her a warrior determined to protect her from the unspeakable evil fate has planned…

You can find out more about Anita and her books at:

http://www.anitaclenney.com

http://www.facebook.com/anitaclenneyAUTHOR

http://www.twitter.com/anitaclenney

http://www.mysteriesandmargaritasblogspot.com

http://www.goodreads.com/anitaclenney

http://www.redroom.com/anitaclenney

Some of the places Embrace can be purchased:

http://www.amazon.com/Embrace-Highland-Warrior-Anita-Clenney/dp/1402251262

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/embrace-the-highland-warrior-anita-clenney/1100076266

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Embrace-Highland-Warrior/Anita-Clenney/9781402251269

http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/embrace-the-highland-warrior/id468777516?mt=11

 

We’ll leave you with an excerpt from Embrace:

Cody sighed. Might as well get it over with. He removed the shackles, returned them, and bent over her. “Shay, wake up.”

Her eyes flew open. She planted both hands against his chest and shoved, knocking him on his back, then sprang on top of him. “How dare you handcuff me to a bed?” she yelled, punctuating each word with a shake that rattled his brain. He didn’t fight back. She had to get it out of her system, and he didn’t blame her. He’d be more than pissed if someone shackled him.

She landed a fist into his stomach, and the breath rushed out of him. Okay, enough was enough. He captured her hands and rolled, trapping her under him.

“Get off me, you oaf.”

“I’ll get off when you stop beating the snot out of me.”

She let out a war cry and lunged for his throat, teeth bared. Intrigued, he hesitated a second too long, and she sank her teeth into his neck. A jolt of desire shot straight to his groin. He’d never been one for the rough stuff, but damn! He pulled back before she could do more than leave a bruise. He trapped her legs with his and held her hands above her head, letting his full weight press her into the soft mattress. She still struggled but could move only enough to get him excited.

“I’m sorry, Shay. I had to do it. It was too dangerous to let you go traipsing through the woods. I had to keep you safe.”

“What if he was hiding in one of the other bedrooms and sneaked in here while I was handcuffed to the bed? You left me so I couldn’t even protect myself.”

“Lach heard him out in the woods, but that’s why I locked the door, just in case. If this guy had broken it down to get to you, you would’ve screamed, and I would’ve come running. I was never far from the house.” He’d heard every name she called him.

Her eyes still flashed fire, but her breath was steadier, and she kept glancing at his mouth. He thought that was a good thing. He wondered if she’d calmed enough not to hit him, because he should move. She had to notice the effect all the wiggling around was having on him. He felt her hips push against his, and he groaned. He relaxed his grip and lowered his head, letting his lips touch her chin. He kissed his way to her mouth, and she head butted him in the nose.

While the stars exploded in his head, she shoved him aside and bolted out the door. He jumped up and went after her as she pounded down the stairs. He caught up with her outside. She was swinging her purse like a whip, headed for the car.

“Where are you going?” he demanded.

“Get away from me.”

“You can’t leave.”

“Watch me.” She opened the door. “I’m tired of people hiding things from me. I thought you were going to stop. Now you’re handcuffing me to the bed.”

“I explained it to you.”

“Don’t touch me,” she said, jerking away when he grabbed her arm.

“You’re not leaving.”

Shay straightened her shoulders. “You can’t stop me.”

He grabbed her, tossed her over his shoulder, kicked the car door shut, and stomped up the steps.

“Put me down!” Shay kicked and twisted, cursing at him. He dumped her on her feet inside the door.

She blew her hair out of her face, and as soon as she could see, she threw a punch at his chin. He deflected it and grabbed her arm. “Stop hitting me.”

“How dare you throw me over your shoulder like some kind of caveman,” she spat, trying to wrench her arm free. It didn’t work, so she used her knee.

“Ah, not there.” Cody trapped her knee. “I made the mistake of letting you leave here nine years ago without listening to me. By God, I won’t do it again. You’ll listen if I have to sit on you,” he growled.

She drew back her other arm, and before she could throw the punch, he had her on the floor and was sitting astride her, pinning her wrists to the floor. She bucked and twisted, but he held her down. “We can do this all night if you want, but you’re going to listen to me this time.”

“Listen to more lies? You’re still hiding things from me. Like the fact that you have Nina’s entire house under surveillance. Like the fact that you’ve got a Bat Cave in your basement. Like the fact that you were in Scotland when the stalking started.”

“You think I’m your stalker?” he yelled. “Me! I’m trying to keep you alive. We’re all trying to keep you alive. That’s what the clan’s been doing your whole damned life, trying to keep you alive! And just like always, you’re making it hard as hell. Your father wasn’t a bloody spy, and that thing in your living room wasn’t a man!”

 

My publisher will give away a copy of Embrace the Highland Warrior to one commenter, US and Canada only please. My question is, if you could interview anyone, past or present, who would it be?