Welcome talented and multi-published romance author, Cate Masters!

SO happy to welcome you here today, Cate! It's been far too long since we last spoke. At one time our paths used to cross all the time but it feels like months since we've chatted. What's going on? Can't wait to hear what you've been up to! Your new cover is gorgeous :)

Let's get started...

1) Did you set any goals for 2012?

Hi Rachel! Thanks so much for having me here.

I did set goals, though I referred to them as “plans” – less opportunity for me to wiggle out of them that way, lol.

First, I intend to finish the second book of my paranormal series called The Goddess Connection. I also plan to finish up some of the other stories I’d begun last year.

Second, I’m going to read more. Life’s been very crazy these past few years, and despite my TBR pile growing by leaps and bounds, I read very little. This year, I’m going to carve out time. Not only fiction, though – I have a ton of great writing books I’ve been putting off reading. All the workshops and classes I’d taken seem so long ago, but I’m going to focus on craft again.

Lastly, I’m going to organize better, not just with regard to writing, but the rest of my life. I waste so much time looking for things, it’s silly.

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

It’s wonderful to get that first spark of a story idea, but when it takes off and I hit that zone where I’m typing as fast as I can to get the draft down because it’s flowing so freely, well that’s a high that only other writers understand, lol.

3) The worst part?

Revisions and edits can be tedious, but once they’re finished, I’m always happy I took the time to do them. The story’s always so much better afterward.

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

Oo, tough question. I love so many books, I have such trouble narrowing it down. I’m currently (finally!) reading Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander, and am loving it. I certainly wish I’d written that one!

5) Favourite author/s & book/s?

Seriously, so many I couldn’t possibly name them all. I love anything by Alice Hoffman, T.C. Boyle, Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman… and there are so many excellent authors published by ebook presses, I’m filling my Kindle up more all the time!

6) Tell us about your latest release?

Dead to Rights is a dark paranormal, a mashing of urban fantasy, suspense, a bit of mystery, with warrior angels and demons. Because of the complicated plot, it’s a bit difficult to explain without giving too much away, but the heroine wakes up in a strange place – and in a strange body - and has to piece together what happened.

7) Tease us with a blurb/short except

Here’s the blurb:

Identity theft sucks. But it’s worse when someone steals your life -- body included. All memory of her life before waking up in a mental facility has vanished. Or was erased. Now she has to figure out how to get it all back.

Her only hope of learning the truth lies with one man. Problem is, he’s the leader of a cult. Her only choice is to follow him into his sordid world, where a darker evil lurks.

With a little help from an archangel hellbent on revenge, she might have a chance to learn the truth. But it will force her to make the hardest decision of her life – or death.

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

She’s an extremely strong heroine, a complex character who has some flaws but many good points to more than balance them out.

9) What’s next?

Later this month,BookStrand will release my historical Western, A Midwest Summer Night’s Dream. Both the hero and heroine love Shakespeare, so the title is a takeoff of AMidsummer Night’s Dream.

10) Tell me where you write?

Either in a notebook wherever I can, or when it’s serious writing time, at my laptop (which has no Internet connection, so I can focus only on the story)

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

Still going strong, with a worldwide reader base, a few Hallmark Channel and SyFy movies based on my stories and USA Today and New York Times bestsellers. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? :)

12) Where can we find you?

My blog’s the main site: http://catemasters.blogspot.com, where you can find links to my pages on Facebook, GoodReads, and many others.

I also began a new blog this year for readers called TBR, where three authors appear each week, and one is the Featured Author each month. You can find it linked to my blog.

Thanks again for having me as a guest, Rachel!

Wow, you sound as busy as ever, Cate and I totally understand where you are coming from with the reading time. I am off to Egypt for two weeks on Thursday and taking six paperbacks with me as well as my Kindle, lol!

Okay, questions or comments for Cate??