A HUGE thank you for all your wonderful wishes!!

For those of you who don't know, my eldest daughter was knocked down by a car travelling at 30mph on Monday, but by some miracle came away without any broken bones or long-lasting damage.

Her head hit the windscreen hard enough to cause it to shatter, she was then thrown four feet into the air before landing on her front on the concrete road. The phone call from her hysterical best friend was the worst of my life.

My husband and I were then put through the ordeal of a 50 minute wait for the ambulance to arrive which had to come from Bath as there were no crews available in my home town. Once they arrived, the paramedics were fantastic and looked after Jess with a care and humour that left her smiling and a lot more relaxed.

After five hours in a head and neck brace, and nine x-rays later, my baby girl was sent home very battered and bruised but okay. I thank God every day and know he has a bigger plan for her. She's promised me and him she will deliver...

Thank you so much for all your wonderful messages - I am posting a 'before' and 'after' pic, not to upset you but to show you the depth of my distress and the way Jess will soon look after the predicted full recovery.

Love,

Rachel x

Welcome fellow Wild Rose Press author, Claire Croxton!

Hi Claire,

Great to welcome you to my site for the first time! Shall we get started with the interview?

1) Did you set any goals for 2011?

In January, my friends and I gathered during the full moon (seriously.) We built a bonfire and wrote the things we wanted out of our lives on pieces of paper and threw them in the fire. Then, we put our goals for 2011 into the universe and released lanterns over the pond. About 70% of my goals have been achieved this year, which included selling my first contemporary romance.

2) What is the best part of the writing process for you?

Writing. I love it. I love to sit in front of the blank computer screen and let my fingers fly across the keyboard. I have no idea what’s going to manifest. It’s so exciting.

3) The worst part?

Promoting, blogging, websites, Facebook, Twitter, etc. I haven’t worked on my latest book in 2 weeks because I’ve been so bogged down meeting the promotion demands. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve met a lot of really nice people and I’ve learned a lot along the way, which will make things easier in the future. I’d simply prefer doing nothing but writing all day.

4) What is the book you wish you’d written?

I think I’m working on it now. I can see my writing maturing and hopefully improving with every book. The story I’m working on now is about a woman who was in an abusive marriage. She changes her identity and moves to the outreaches of rural Alaska. The story is about rediscovering who she is. She’s clever and strong and her husband gets what he deserves in the end.

5) Favourite author/s & book/s?

My hands down favorite author is Elizabeth George. She writes British mysteries even though she isn’t British. I can identify with her character, Barbara Havers. She’s rough around the edges, kind of frumpy and needs to learn some manners and I just love her! I also enjoy Ken Follett, Daniel Silva and I liked the Steig Larsen trilogy. In the romance genre, I like Jodi Thomas, Pamela Morsi, LaVyrle Spencer, Rachel Gibson and Christie Ridgeway. I like romances with a witty heroine.

6) Tell us about your latest release?

Redneck Ex is a contemporary romance being released by The Wild Rose Press on Jan 20, 2012. I’m so excited!!

7) Tease us with a blurb/short excerpt

With one twang of a banjo string, Summer Leigh Johnson's tidy, organized life in Barrow, Alaska is jolted back to the Ozarks. When her coon-hunting, tobacco-chewing, bull-riding, redneck ex-husband asks for her help, she has two options: turn her back on him like he did to her eleven years ago, or help. Burdened with the curse of every southern woman--What Would Mama Do?--she goes to his aid. And what does she find? The man she fell in love with all those years ago and a second chance at love and family. The last time she gave her heart to Dwight, he flicked it aside like an empty can of Skoal. This time he's cradling it as gently as he would a speckled pup.

It will take a lot more than Dwight's southern charm and good looks to convince Summer to stay.

This is the book trailer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmFfBIroGbE

8) What is your favourite attribute of the hero and heroine?

Oh, my babies, Dwight and Summer Leigh. Dwight is a charming devil. What I like most about him is his sincerity. He’s taken stock of his life and realizes the stupidest thing he ever did was divorce Summer Leigh and he wants her back. He’s honest and open, but Summer Leigh can’t quite grasp that he’s truly changed.

Summer Leigh is one determined and independent woman. I appreciate the way she sets her mind on something and makes it happen. She has her dream job, great friends and travels as much as she wants. Her greatest attribute, her independence, is also her biggest flaw.

9) What’s next?

I’m working on the final edits of Santorini Sunset, which will be released in the spring 2012 by The Wild Rose Press. I’m also working on a women’s fiction novel, Ex-Ray, and fantasy romance called Loch Lonnie.

10) Tell me where you write?

In a blue leather recliner in my living room. I’ve tried setting up desks and writing tables and for some reason I can never get the ergonomics right and end up with aches and pains. Sitting the recliner seems to work the best. I also like working in the living room because it has a wall of windows that looks out over a sloping lawn that is surrounded by the forest. So, when I get stuck on something, all I have to do is glance up and I’m inspired.

11) Where would you like your career to be in 5 years?

NY Times Bestseller with speaking engagements at fun conferences. I want to travel in order to do research for my books and I plan on having someone else take care of the promoting so I can have hours and hours to devote to writing.

12) Where can we find you?

http://clairecroxtonromanceauthor.wordpress.com/

Thanks for being here, Claire - really enjoyed your interview! I felt the same way as you about promotion until I attended a conference this year where an author told the writing audience, "Work out how much writing time you have each day and allow only a quarter of it to promo." Works for me!

Comments?

Welcome self-published author, Lori Leger!

Welcome, Lori, it's so lovely to welcome you to my site today! I think you are my first self-published author to visit and I would love to learn more about your journey. I attended a conference this summer and self-publishing caused a huge discussion that went over several sessions, lol!

Hello Rachel, thanks for inviting me over. This is my first European interview. (waves)

1) What is your writing routine? I try to get in at least an hour or two of writing or rewriting, editing, etc. a day. Not that easy when I hold a five day a week job. If I wake up early enough, I’ll try to get some writing time in, but that doesn’t happen often since I leave for work at 6:30 a.m.

2) Which author/s inspire you to write? Actually, the only author who’s ever ‘inspired’ me is my daughter-in-law, Trish Leger. I’d dabbled with writing once about fifteen years ago, but I give Trish the real credit. About 4 years ago, she asked me to read a manuscript she’d written and critique it for her. Of course, I didn’t know a thing about critiquing back then, but it thrilled me to read those words written by someone I actually knew. My kids were all out of the house by then, so I thought “Hey, I could do this.” Once I started there was no turning back. I don’t need inspiration to write...I just need the spare time.

3) Which is your favorite romance subgenre to read? I love contemporary mainstream-like romances with lots of juicy characters and subplots. I like a little suspense thrown in the mix, also. To write? The same thing...contemporary, because I don’t have the time for the researching that’s required by historical works. It’s got to be a romance because I have no interest in wasting the reader’s time by ending a story on a sour note. I like my happy endings. My books also have lots of characters and subplots...sometimes two romances for the price of one...and lots of dialogue. I adore writing snappy, natural sounding dialogue. I want to make the reader want to become involved with my characters lives.

4) How do you deal with criticism/rejection? I know everyone must answer this with “It’s a learning experience,” and it is. I treat all criticism the same way, whether it’s from an office co-worker, a critique partner, my family members, or coming from an editor’s rejection letter. I use it to transform my writing into something better. In my job as a drafter of road design plans I deal with it every day. I have civil engineers marking up my plans with a red pen, so I’m pre-conditioned not to get too upset over red marks on white paper. It’s just another part of the job.

5) What do you expect from an editor? I’m self-published, so I don’t have an actual editor, but I have a few people that pick it apart for me. One is great at finding typos and grammatical errors, one is a writer that catches my POV switches, another tells me when something doesn’t work for her and catches timeline mistakes. I’m fortunate to have good friends to help me out. I took a wonderful class with Margie Lawson that taught me tons about editing and writing using dialogue, action, body language and the senses. After that class, I went back and began to rewrite and edit my own work. I knew it worked because the rejection letters got phenomenally better after that.

6) Tell me about your latest release. Last First Kiss is Book 2 of my La Fleur de Love series. It has returning characters from Book 1, (Some Day Somebody). It’s the story of a woman with two small daughters who’s lost the love of her life, and the man who’s trying to convince her it’s okay to love again. It’s a sweet romance, for the most part, thought there are a few steamy moments woven in.

Tease us with a blurb or short excerpt. How about if I treat you with one of the steamy moments?

Giselle looked up as Jackson walked around the waterfall to the opening of the man made grotto. He stood there, all tan and ripped, looking like a Greek god with beads of water spotting his bronzed skin. Her fault? Well, if that was true, she couldn’t bring herself to regret being the cause.

“Came in here to cool off?” he asked.

“It does feel good in here. I’m amazed at this design... It’s custom, right?” she asked, as country music began to play softly from built in speakers somewhere inside the cave.

Jackson searched until he found the speakers. “All right, he said he’d find the time to wire it for sound one of these days.” He turned back toward Giselle. “He drew up a basic sketch, I designed it for him, and he built it. It’s something, isn’t it?” He leaned one arm against the wall of the grotto and crossed his foot at the ankle.

“You designed it?” She shook her head in disbelief.

“I just told Red what would and would not work from the engineering standpoint. We hammered away at a design until we were both satisfied.”

“You ever thought about going into business for yourself? I know people who’d pay big bucks for a service like this.”

Jackson shrugged. “I might get enough clients in a city like Lafayette, but Lake Coburn’s only half the size.”

“You don’t understand. You wouldn’t have to find clients-they’d find you. Architectural firms would kill to have someone like you to turn to. You and Red could make a huge profit off of this one design.”

He shrugged like it was no big deal. “It’s something to think about, I guess.”

Giselle closed the gap between them. “I’m amazed at you, Jackson. Is there anything you can’t do? You sing, you dance, you played baseball, and you design fantastic pool grottos. Your uncle says you’re a natural horseman, not to mention the excellent engineering work you do. Is there anything else I should know about?”

“I may have a few more tricks up my sleeve. I guess you’ll have to stick around if you want to find out.”

“I’m extremely impatient. How long are we talking about?” she said.

He shrugged and gave her one of those sexy as hell lopsided grins.

“How long was that?” She inched closer.

He gazed into her eyes, looking as though he was damn close to losing control. “I didn’t say.”

But damn close wasn’t close enough for Giselle. She reached out a single nailed finger to trace from above his breastbone all the way down to the waistband of his suit. The look on his face was well worth the show of bravado. “What’s wrong Jackson? You look surprised.”

Jackson sucked in his breath and lifted both hands, in surrender. “Hey, you’re the one in control. You’re supposed to tell me when you’re ready.”

“Maybe I’m ready for just a little more.” She hooked her finger into the waistband of his swimming trunks and pulled it forward. Before she could look down for a peek, he grabbed her wrist and pulled it away.

Jackson backed her up against the smooth surface of the wall then grabbed her hands and laced his fingers through hers. He raised them above her head, one on each side, effectively pinning her against the wall. Leaning forward, he brushed his mouth against her neck just below her left ear.

Her pulse quickened at the feel of his warm breath on her dampened skin. Instead of kissing her neck as she expected him to, he raised his head to speak softly in her ear.

“I have to tell you, Hon, I don’t mind a little teasing now and then, but I’m no masochist, and I’m sure as hell no saint. Here lately, being around you is agony.”

“What’s the matter big boy?” she gasped, trying to lighten the mood. “You afraid it’s going to stunt your growth?”

The look Jackson gave her revealed he hadn’t found much humor in this particular situation.

“What is it you want from me Giselle?” he whispered hoarsely. “I think you know how much I want you, but I need to know how far you’re willing to take this little game of yours.”

Giselle stared into the depths of his hooded eyes, dark with desire. “In time...all the way, but we’re not alone here, Jackson.”

“Red’s a grown man and knows better than to bother us. It’s dark back here.” He brushed his mouth lightly against hers.

She closed her eyes, ready to abandon all will, ready to give him whatever he asked of her.

8) Which is your favorite character in the book? Tough call. I love Jackson, but I also love his uncle, Bill Broussard. Why? Jackson is caring, sensitive, wounded man who lost both his parents at a young age, and he’s sexy as all hell. He’s just spent fifteen years in a hellish marriage with a shrew of a woman who was an expert at lies and manipulation. Bill, who experienced his own tragedy as a younger man, put his love life on hold to raise his nephew. He’s mature, wealthy, self-confident, just as handsome and sexy as his nephew...and ready to get on with the act of living and loving.

9) What are you working on right now? I’m working on a short story called Hart’s Desire. It ties in to Book 3 of the series as a subplot of the main couple. Melinda Dawson and Greg Hart were high school sweethearts back in 1974. When she gets pregnant their parents plot to keep them apart. She’s sent to a home for unwed mothers in another part of the country. Thirty years later she returns to her hometown and the two mature adults don’t exactly pick up where they left off.

10) Your biggest piece of advice to aspiring novelists? Practice your craft and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Take classes, read books on writing, read the type of books you want to write, and believe in yourself. Find your own style of writing and always strive to improve your craft.

11) Where can readers find you?

My website: www.lorilegerauthor.com

Blog: cajunflair.wordpress.com

Some Day Somebody: Book 1 of La Fleur de Love Series

Now available at Amazon http://tinyurl.com/3q74hdh

Barnes & Noble: http://tinyurl.com/3rr329g

Smashwords: http://tinyurl.com/425vva4

Last First Kiss: Book 2 of La Fleur de Love Series

Also Available at Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/3dl5tb5

Barnes & Noble: http://tinyurl.com/3qu39jt

Smashwords http://tinyurl.com/42w5bkd

Great to see another self-published success, Lori - self-publishing is getting more and more popular and I wish you lots of sales!

Comments?

The fabulous Jane Wenham-Jones - Wanna Be A Writer We've Heard Of?

This entertaining follow-up to the successful Wannabe a Writer? is an essential read for every author and would-be best-seller, whether established or debut, self-published or still dreaming of the limelight.

In today s celebrity-driven world, self-confessed media tart Jane Wenham-Jones, takes us on an uproarious ride along the publicity trail from getting the perfect promotional photo to choosing clothes to wear on TV. With anecdotes from Jane's own numerous media exploits, Wannabe a Writer We ve Heard Of? is packed with tips and tricks to help you get yourself noticed, gain maximum column inches and airtime and create online buzz for your books and projects. Offering advice and insights from writers, journalists, publicists and celebrities who ve been there and done that, this is the ultimate guide for anyone longing for fame and success. Includes contributions from Joanna Trollope, Richard Madeley, Tracey Emin, India Knight, Shazia Mirza, Kelvin MacKenzie, Lucy Mangan, Katie Fforde, Joanne Harris, Helen Lederer, Peter James, Carole Blake, Stanley Johnson, Sue Cook, Carole Matthews, John Hegley, Carol Midgley, Sam Leith, Lisa Jewell, Giles Coren, Robert Crampton, Tim Dowling, Mike Gayle, Marina O Loughlin, Suzanne Moore, Sir Roy Strong and Erica Wagner. Foreword by Jill Mansell.

Jane Wenham-Jones is a novelist, journalist and presenter and the author of the Wannabe Books - two how-to manuals on getting published and becoming well-known. Below is an extract from Wannabe a Writer We've Heard Of?, available on Amazon or through all good bookshops. For more on Jane see http://www.janewenham-jones.com.

The author photo

Everything I have to say about the minefield that is the author photo can be summed up in four short words: Thank God for Photoshop.

These days, this magical piece of software would have zapped my spot with one decisive mouse click, but back then it took four inches of slap and some clever lighting to just about bleach it out. It was generally agreed the end result was quite fetching. Or as one of my friends put it:, “What a lovely photograph – it doesn’t look a bit like you!”

A state of affairs I could have done with at the ensuing launch party where pictures in the local paper showed me signing books with an arm like a sumo wrestler’s thigh and the wider consensus of opinion was that I looked six months pregnant.

PhotoShop could have dealt with the extra stomach too so if you’re not familiar with this life-saving software, that can blur wrinkles, erase chins and smooth out blotches, it’s time to make its acquaintance.

However, unless you are a whiz with intricate software and have many hours to devote to mastering its complexities, don’t rush out and buy it yet. The full version of Adobe PhotoShop is expensive (although there is a much cheaper basic version called PhotoShop Elements) and you could lose your life getting to grips with how it works.

Much better to cultivate a nerdy friend who has already mastered its finer points. Personally I wouldn’t know how to do any of the filtering and cloning necessary to attend to my crows’ feet but luckily I know a man who does. And I keep him on speed-dial.

If you have enough dosh of course, you can hire a professional to take your pictures and this is a sound investment. Although, personally, I would advise against one of those make-over/glamour photo companies that promise to totally transform you.

I am used to writers looking nothing like their mug shots and have learnt to keep my face impassive when introduced to yet another Grande Dame, long familiar as a soft-focussed beauty from the inside of a book jacket, who turns out to be an old crone with no lips; but others may gasp.

You don’t want to see shocked expressions when eager fans/potential promoters meet you in the flesh, so it’s prudent to use a photograph that is reasonably up to date and try for one that is still recognisable as you – but a you at your best.

Unless you have lots of money and fancy it anyway, you don’t, at this stage, need a flash portfolio of yourself draped over the furniture in a dozen different poses. For now, a single fabulous picture should suffice.

It’s true that you usually have to take about a hundred shots to get that one good one, and, if you can afford it, a professional photographer, who understands about lighting and angles will probably get there quicker.

But if a friend with a good digital camera can be persuaded to take a few dozen snaps of you dolled up to the nines, you’re still bound to end up with a couple of decent ones in there somewhere. You can even utilise the self-timer function and have a go yourself and probably get a perfectly good picture.

Particularly if you bear in mind that it’s the lighting that makes all the difference.

If you decide to have some shots taken outside, choose an overcast day or pose in the shade. This is a must for me anyway as my eyes are so sensitive to sunlight that I end up squinting terribly if I don’t wear dark glasses. And while I would be thrilled if I were always photographed in a huge pair of shades – they immediately add glamour and can hide a multitude of sins – they tend to be a big no-no to picture editors, who take the view that they’re OK on celebrities but make us ordinary mortals look dodgy.

So for a picture you can send out anywhere, sunglasses are best avoided. (Or any glasses, come to that, as they cause all sorts of problems with reflection). A softer light also works wonders on skin tone and will be much more flattering than direct sun.

Indoors, try to use natural light from a window. If you have to use flash, don’t stand against a wall because you’ll get harsh shadows. (My photographer chum tells me the more advanced camera user can get round this to a certain extent by bouncing the flash off the ceiling.)

A small lamp at your feet or a sheet of white card on your lap can roll back the years as the light/reflection will bleach out wrinkles and imperfections. (And conversely a harsh top light will enhance every crack and crevice till you look like your grandmother.) NB it’s really worth keeping a note of what worked well and what didn’t – where you were/what time of day it was/ whether the curtains were drawn right back, etc. – because it saves an awful lot of time when you come to do it all again.

Wherever you are, go for the plainest background you can find, check for anything distracting – trees that appear to be growing out of your head for example – or anything you wouldn’t want visible, like your underwear drying on the radiator.

Do think about what clothes you want to wear (the experts advise against wearing totally black or white clothes because it can play havoc with the exposure) have your hair done, spend time on your make-up and experiment to find out which is your best side.

How to get a great pic

1. Take your time. Try to relax. If you’re under pressure, and watching the clock you’ll look stressed and harassed. If you’re uptight because you don’t like having your photo taken, have a massage or a glass of wine first.

2. Prepare yourself. Depending on gender or preference: spend time on your make-up, wield the hair gel, put on great jewellery, have a shave – or not.

3. Wear the right clothes. Choose a simple shirt or plain top and avoid stripes, spots, loud patterns and huge bows that will distract from your face. (Unless you have a boil on your chin.)

4. Experiment. Try different expressions and poses (but look into the lens). Keep checking at the back of the camera to see what works.

5. Remember lighting is all – a professional will know how to light you to advantage but if you’re doing it yourself, try brighter and darker spots till you get it right. Get it wrong and you’ll look haggard and a hundred, while the perfect light can knock off years. (If you get desperate, so can a facelift.)

6. If you’re a woman think posture. Stand up straight, do not hold your arms against your sides and if you have a chest, use it. As a friend of mine whose boyfriend is a photographer for the tabloids, was once advised after a particularly gruesome photo of her appeared in print: “Stomach in and tits out, darling – not the other way round!”

Wannabe a Writer Site:

http://www.wannabeawriter.co.uk

Buy links:

Amazon UK (paperback)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1906373973/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=lucyfelthouse-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=1906373973

Amazon UK (Kindle)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004ASOV2Q/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=lucyfelthouse-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B004ASOV2Q

Amazon US (paperback)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1906373973/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=lucyfelt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1906373973

Amazon US (Kindle)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004ASOV2Q/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=lucyfelt-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=B004ASOV2Q

The Book Depository

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Wannabe-Writer-Weve-Heard-Jane-Wenham-Jones/9781906373979/?a_aid=creativewriter1985

I have bought both Wanna Be A Writer? and Wanna Be A Writer We've Heard Of? and cannot recommend them enough - packed full of information, help, tips and laughter. Jane is a fabulous speaker who I have been fortunate enough to listen speak four or five times now. She is a talented, effortless entertainer who has books published and articles commissioned continuously. Need I say more...

Buy these books now!

Rachel x

Interview with prolific author Claire Ashgrove...

Claire is an author whose progress I have followed for a number of years now and I am so happy for her ongoing success! She produces great books at a great pace and deserves all the four and five star reviews she receives for her gorgeous stories.

Let's start the interview. I can't wait to catch up!

1) Who is your favourite author and why?

My favorite author is… gosh, that’s hard! I have to say I have two, Karin Tabke and Shayla Black. Both inspired me early on, their stories are engaging, their characters unforgettable, and they are super-sexy stories.

2) When did you first consider yourself a writer?

The first time I had a real conversation with my editor, shortly after my first book was contracted. I was no longer afraid of her. Laugh!

3) Describe your writing space?

I have two spaces I write in. One is total chaos. I can’t see the bottom of my desk at all. The other is my dining room table. It’s usually complete with some candy wrappers, a stale cup of coffee, and two or three cats lounging about, with one snuggled into my lap. My dogs are at my feet, the largest, my Newfoundland, serving as an ottoman.

4) What are you reading now?

I am not currently reading anything. However I have a passel of new Berkley HEAT books on the To-Be-Read pile, and I’m anxiously awaiting my Berkley release-date-twin, Roni Loren’s HEAT title, CRASH INTO YOU.

5) How many books have your written? Which is your favourite?

I have written twelve full length novels, and five short stories that are all in various stages of publication. These are:

Contemporary:

Seduction’s Stakes

All I Want For Christmas… Is Big Blue Eyes

Timeless Valentine

A Christmas to Believe In

Waiting for Yes

Misunderstanding Mason - novella

A Broken Christmas – novella (October 2011)

Paranormal:

The Curse of the Templars Series:

Immortal Hope (January 2012)

Immortal Salvation (October 2012)

Immortal Trust (July 2013)

Inherited Damnation Series (novellas):

Cursed to Kill (October 2011)

Tormented by Darkness (Fall/Winter 2011)

Destined to Die (Winter 2011)

Erotic Romantic Suspense as Tori St. Claire

Stripped (January 2012)

Lie To Me (Undetermined, 2012)

Favorites are hard to say. I find that I usually fall in love with a book when I finish it, and for a while it remains my favorite. However… A Broken Christmas is particularly dear to my heart. It’s a story about a broken soldier’s journey to love, and it was inspired by a true sustained injury to one of our men in Iraq.

6) What comes first, plot or characters?

That really is totally story-dependant or series dependant. I don’t write, typically, one book at a time and go from there. I plot in series fashion and usually going into the first book I know the players that will carry on throughout. When it comes to their stories, I have a rough idea what the background is, but they are more established than the plot in those cases.

My Black Opal series (as Tori St. Claire) is probably the exception. I don’t have an underlying sub-plot that spans the series. I have a collection of intriguing operatives and the characters usually jump out at me. Then I find myself planning their stories around what made their personalities the way they are, what’s in their past, and what would be a compelling conflict given those attributes.

7) Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?

No. (Knocking on wood.) I tend to suffer from idea over-flow and too few hours in my day to get everything done I need to.

8) What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Not writing? Er…

Well, I went to Hawaii when I stopped writing for the first time in four years, last month. But as a rule, I have two small boys and a farm, and that takes up a lot of my time.

9) Tell us about your latest book?

My latest book is Misunderstanding Mason, an upbeat, contemporary novella, with a very sexy plot. This is a case where the plot definitely came first, as the first scene hit me out of the blue and then I had to make everything else fit.

Mason’s an introvert, more comfortable spending his days in front of his computer and creating incredible graphics for a leading gaming company. I love Mason. He reminds me of so many of the men I worked with in my early years also designing computer games. Strong. Quiet. Brilliant. And utterly devoted to the woman he loves. The kind of guy who you’d never guess could literally turn the world upside down if the things he cherished were in jeopardy.

I’ll share the cover blurb:

When Kirstin Jones agreed to work with her live-in boyfriend, Mason, on a freelance job for a wealthy client, she never thought it might destroy their relationship. But the client’s keen observations show her that she’s been little more than Mason’s shadow. Fed up with his insensitivities, she moves out. Weeks later, desperate to stand on her own, she accepts work with the same client once again. Only this time, the project requires Mason’s help. To obtain his aid, she must meet his terms. And what he wants is more than she can afford.

Mason Montgomery is baffled by Kirstin’s claims that he never had time for her. While verbalizing his emotions has never been his strong point, he’s spent five years showing his love. He needs Kirstin more than he wants to admit. When she leaves him, he’ll stop at nothing to get her back, even if it means working with the client who twisted truths and tore his life apart.

This time Mason’s not leaving room for misunderstandings.

10) What’s next for you?

Really more of the same. I’m currently at work on the next novella in Inherited Damnation. I have a handful of projects related to both the Black Opal series and The Curse of the Templars slated too. You can watch my website, or sign up for my newsletter to get the most recent updates!

Thanks for having me!

~Claire

www.claireashgrove.com

Great interview, Claire and so pleased everything is going so well for you! Also glad I'm not the only one who stumbles over the question, "What do you do when you're not writing?" When is that exactly, huh?

Over to you guys for questions and comments!