Hi Claire! Great to have a fellow Superromance author visit my blog and to be a part of your ongoing tour - wishing you all the best for success and sales. Let's kick off with my questions...
1. What do you wish men understood about women?
First of
all, thank you so much for inviting me to your blog today. I’m so happy to be here!
I wish
more men understood the importance of romance. I am a big romantic and love things like flowers, poetry,
love letters, a kiss at sunset, and saying “I love you.” Even a text during the day to let your
love know that you’re thinking of her (or him) is sweet. I think romance is like adding bricks
onto the home that is your relationship.
Each gesture adds another piece to make your relationship stronger.
2. Do you only work on one book at a time?
It
depends on what is going on with my deadlines. Whatever book is being released next gets my full attention
whenever possible. However, there
are often weeks or even months when my editor has that book so I can’t really
work on it. So then I write other
things - another book I have a
contract for, or a proposal for new books.
I am also
trying what author Holly Jacobs calls “a Sunday book.” It’s something different than my
contemporary westerns, and it’s just for fun or to challenge me to try new things. Right now that book is a romantic, art
history mystery set in Paris. I
work on it whenever I have extra time.
3. Who is your favorite fictional couple?
Jamie and
Claire from Outlander. I love their chemistry and Jamie Fraser has to be one of
the sexiest, most romantic men every invented. Plus, I admire what a smart and independent heroine Claire
is. I’m so glad the author, Diana
Gabaldon, gave her interests and passions that are all her own, and had her
find her own path, even in a different time period than her own.
4. Favorite TV show?
I’m a huge fan of all the dramas. Downton Abbey, Outlander (of
course!) and Nashville because it’s a perfect combination of soap opera and
great music. My husband and I also
watch Elementary and once in a while I tune into Dancing With the Stars because
I love ballroom dancing.
5.
Do you set daily
writing goals? Word count? Number of chapters? Do you get a chance to write
every day?
I
don’t get a chance to write every day.
I left my first career to take care of my son and he is still my
priority. So if there’s a day when he needs all of my time and I can’t make
writing happen, I just remind myself that he is my most important work.
My
goals vary depending on my mood.
Sometimes I set word count goals, but if I do that every day I start to
feel kind of oppressed by it. So
often I set a goal to get through one or more chapters, or to fix certain
chapters or scenes. That inspires
me a little more creatively than a word count and still gets me through my
books.
6.
Who was the last
person you hugged?
My
husband, when he came back from a bike ride today. I read in some article recently that one way to keep a
relationship healthy is to hug your spouse for thirty seconds at least twice a
day. So now my husband grabs me
and says, “thirty second hug!” and we just stand there hugging. It’s very relaxing and sweet.
7. What are you working on now?
I have four books planned and I’m very excited about them! They are all contemporary westerns set
in my fictional Eastern Sierra town of Benson. The stories involve a couple of very minor characters from
my first three books, but there are also many new characters who I’ve had so
much fun creating.
The first book involves a rule-abiding plant biologist, a band of
wild horses and a man who is determined to set them free. I am so thrilled to write this story –
I think it has the potential to be very romantic and moving.
Convincing the Rancher
by Claire McEwen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Benson,
CA, represents all that Tess Cole doesn't want. So she intends to keep her
business trip there brief. Too bad her idea to quickly change the mayor's mind
about some planning issues dissolves the moment she recognizes him! That one
night with Slaid Jacobs remains a personal favorite for Tess—and for him, too,
it seems.
Even
though he's gorgeous and hot, it's clear to Tess that the single dad wants a
commitment—something she avoids. It's also clear Slaid is bent on convincing
her they can build a future out of their passionate past. And that's a very
tempting offer…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
TESS WASN’T PREPARED for a Jeep
that looked like an ice sculpture. With a pang of longing, she pictured her
underground parking space in San Francisco, where even on the rare frosty
morning she never had to worry about a frozen car. Reluctantly she opened her
wallet and stared at her rainbow assortment of credit cards, wondering which
one she could sacrifice as an ice scraper. The Saks Fifth Avenue card was nice
and thick and would work the best, but she didn’t want to risk ruining it. Same
with Bloomingdale’s. And there was no way she’d sacrifice Nordstrom—their
annual shoe sale was coming up.
She finally settled for Talbots
and started scraping at the frosted windshield. The ice came off in a spray
coating her bare skin. “Ow!” she exclaimed and pulled her hand away abruptly,
shaking it to try to get the frost off and the heat back in.
“Don’t tell me you didn’t bring
gloves?” The deep voice had her whirling to confront the mayor. He looked warm
and comfortable, his thick parka advertising the fact that he was prepared for
the weather. The battered leather cowboy hat on his head was one more reminder
that she’d left San Francisco far behind.
“It’s probably seventy degrees at
home today,” she said by way of an answer.
“It’s seventy degrees in San
Francisco most days. Didn’t you check the weather report before you drove out
here?”
She hadn’t. She’d been in denial
until she’d pulled into town yesterday. Despite all the arguments with Ed and
the cramming she’d done to understand wind power, she’d ignored the fact that
she’d be living in this tiny town in the middle of nowhere for the next month
or so. Tess could safely say that denial was one of her strongest abilities.
AUTHOR Bio and
Links:
Claire McEwen lives by the ocean in Northern California with her family
and a scruffy, mischievous terrier.
When not dreaming up new stories, she can be found digging in her garden
with a lot of enthusiasm but, unfortunately, no green thumb. She loves discovering flea-market
treasures, walking on the beach, dancing, traveling and reading, of
course! Convincing the Rancher is her
third book for Harlequin Superromance.
Website: http://www.clairemcewen.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CMcEwen.writer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClaireMcEwen1
Buy Links:
Amazon:
Barnes and Noble:
Harlequin:
iTunes:
Kobo:
Claire McEwen will be awarding
$15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/11/vbt-convincing-rancher-by-claire-mcewen.html
Comments? Questions?
I liked the interview
ReplyDeleteGood Q&A. And I enjoyed reading the excerpt too.
ReplyDeleteThank you Curtis and Karen! And thank you so much for inviting me to your blog today Rachel. It's fun to be visiting a fellow Superromance author! And congratulations on your new book, it looks really good! I just ordered my copy!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the interview.
ReplyDeleteGreat to have you here, Claire and thank you for buying my book :) Are you going to RWA this year? I am REALLY hoping to be able to fly in from the UK!
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by, ladies :)
Rachel x
Hi Rachel, I am hoping to go to RWA as well. It would be fun to be in New York. I hope you can attend!
ReplyDelete