Welcome Wild Rose Press author, L A Kelly...



Welcome to my site, LA! I am so happy to host a Wild Rose Press author as it has been a while since I've reconnected with the many friends I have there. I think this is the first time we've met though, so I'm really looking forward to getting to know you better and finding out more about your Christmas release :) Let's get started with the questions…

1)    Did you set any goals for 2013?

After getting a publishing contract, I immediately started on another manuscript. It’s now sitting in my editor’s inbox. Fingers crossed, another contract will be coming soon, too.

2)    Who or what has been your biggest influence as a writer?
I’ve always written as a hobby, but never had the confidence to submit anything of my own until recently. Not long ago I picked up a book by a writer I will call Bags O’Money. Although a huge best seller, it was one of the worst novels I’d ever read—stilted dialog, bland forgettable characters, and a moronic illogical storyline. As soon as I finished slogging through the giant stinking dung pile I started writing. I figured if Bags O’Money’s hot mess of a novel could find a publisher, I had a shot. Bags has been a useful mentor. Every time I get stuck on a plot point I ask myself, what would Bags O’Money do? Then I do the opposite.

3)    How long does it take you to write a 50,000-60,000 word manuscript?
I set a goal of 1200 words a day. I’m not one of those writers who can whip out twenty pages without coming up for air. If I do much more than 1200 words the writing gets stale. After the manuscript is finished I put it away for a few weeks. Editing takes roughly the same amount of time as writing.
4)    Tease us with a blurb/short except


Not your mama’s yuletide tale unless she had too much egg nog or was born with a cheeky sense of humor.
Murder, mystical artifacts, an invisible demon with anger management issues, and an overbearing cupid—not what Rosalie Thatcher wished for on her Christmas list. The holidays had always been a magical time for Rosalie, but not this year. Stephanie, her new manager at Penrose’s Department Store, is determined to make this season the most profitable in the store’s history, even if it sucks the life out of every employee. Introducing arbitrary rules and stealing the affections of Anthony, the cute temp Santa, were bad enough, but forcing Rosalie into the stupid elf hat was the worst. The worst, that is, until she meets a real E.L.F. (Elemental Life Form) named David and gets lassoed into a desperate hunt for the stolen Naughty and Nice List. Rosalie and David must dodge a murderous invisible demon and recover the missing artifact before hellhounds track them down.  The couple race against time for without the magical guidance of the Naughty and Nice List, the world will tumble toward eternal chaos.

5)    Tell us about a new author you’ve recently discovered
I just finished Red and Grey by Christina Brant, an entertaining re-imagining of Little Red Riding Hood. The author changes a child’s bedtime tale to an adult story by combining fairy tale lore with werewolf mythology.  The woodsman, grandmother, and even a fairy godmother, are included, but not as you expect. The cover art is also quite striking.

6)    Name two romances you’ve read more than once
Price and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. What can I say—no one does it better than Jane. How wonderful is it that she wrote so long ago and yet her work still resonates with readers today. I swear the couple living right down the street from me is a mirror image of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett.

7)    Tell us about your first car.
In college I bought a used robin’s egg blue 1973 VW Beetle, with a navy blue vinyl roof. The style was called California Special (no idea why). I lovingly dubbed him Chucko (again, no idea why) and dressed him up with a pair of bright floral seat covers. I’m not sure how much mileage I put on Chucko because the odometer didn’t work, but we went everywhere together. He was the perfect traveling companion; supportive, reliable, and always ready to take me antiquing. Damn, I just realized my car was gay.

8)    Where can we find you?
Web links:

Thanks for being here today, LA! Wishing you lots of success and sales - comments? Questions?



No comments

Post a Comment