Welcome my online friend and hard-working writer, Harlie Williams!

I am so happy to host one of my best online writing friends to guest here today. Harlie is an aspiring and extremely hard-working writer with a goal of finishing and submitting at least three books this year. I want you to join with me in wishing her all the best for what I am sure will be a fantastic year. Go, Harlie, go, Harlie!! :)

1) Did you set any goals for 2012?

I kinda sorta did. My parents gave me a new laptop for Christmas so I’m not fighting for computer time at home. I’m entering more contests this year and I’m joining a more intense critique group. I need the kick in the pants more than anyone knows. I would like to have all three of my WIPS finished and subbed before the summer.

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

I actually like the critiquing/editing part of the process. I crave feedback since I’m new and I take criticism very well. As a reviewer, I know that what I write is subjective so I’m looking for the glaring, “I’m not a writer” things that I need to work on.

3) The worst part?

I would say rejection and I actually have one rejection for a short story but for me, it’s the bedroom scenes. I’m not used to writing them so its sorta weird for me. I’ve been told the more I write them, the better. Keep in mind though, the scenes that I have written are NOT erotic. PG-13/R at best.

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

I wish I could write like Tom Clancy. Clancy’s love affair with his country through his character Jack Ryan is classic and yes; to me Tom Clancy’s books with Jack Ryan are romantic. Jack Ryan is the perfect alpha male in so many ways. ***sigh***

5) Favourite author/s & book/s?

Linda Howard, Cherry Adair, Karen Robards, Sandra Brown, Tom Clancy, Julie Garwood and Rachel Gibson, just to name a few. Favorite books are the McKenzie books by Linda Howard, Cherry Adair’s TFLAC books are the bomb, Clancy’s Jack Ryan books, Julie Garwood’s contemporaries featuring the Buchanan’s, Deirdre Martin’s NY Blades hockey series and its connected stories. Great series from Deirdre and you don’t have to like hockey. .

Tell us about your latest release? This is the prologue for my excerpt.

Jack Moore finally decided that enough was enough. His old body just couldn’t take it anymore. Cancer had finally taken a toll on him and God decided that it was time. He knew in his mind that it was time, too. He would see his parents and his beloved wife, Linda, after ten long years.

Jack’s veterinarian practice was successful and he knew that Kevin McCloud would take care of his patients. Inviting Kevin to intern with him had been the best decision he made, and he knew that Kevin would do well for himself and deliver the best care to the county. Kevin was a fine veterinarian and an even better surgical vet than Jack. Kevin was young and enthusiastic about animals, and it helped that he was up on the new surgical procedures. Kevin would also continue doing rounds to the outlaying ranches, and farms, that couldn’t get into town for their routine veterinarian care. Now what about Forrest?

Forrest Danielson grew up to be a fine young man. Steadfast, loyal and willing to lend a hand to anyone that needed it. Forrest was also his friend. When Jack got sick, Forrest continued to go on rounds with Kevin and lend a hand. Whatever the farmer or rancher needed, Forrest personally would deliver it that day. He was the unofficial third in the practice. With his co-ownership of the feed store with his father, Jack knew Forrest would be okay. What worried Jack was Forrest’s personal life. Jack had seen Forrest through his marriage, his divorce, and then discovered Forrest wanted a woman that would love him, and the town in which he grew up.

6) Jack knew just the woman for him but Forrest had been too blind to see that his niece, Donna, was that woman. Donna had been in love with Forrest since they were teenagers. When Jack got sick, he decided to make Donna his estate beneficiary instead of his three grown children. He knew it was for the best for everyone involved. Playing matchmaker from the grave wasn’t going to be easy but Jack knew that Forrest and Donna would find their way towards each other.

Tease us with a blurb/short excerpt

That went well, Donna thought. Forrest hasn’t changed a bit. Okay, maybe more gorgeous but his generosity and friendliness were still intact. Standing on the front porch of her uncle’s house, she pivoted towards the porch swing and sat. Barely swinging and closing her eyes, she thought back to riding in his truck to the feed store. Why did I cry in front of him? I know that I’m human but what I didn’t expect was for Forrest to be so compassionate. And then we kissed. Fire brewed in her belly again. Why did he kiss her and why did I kiss him back?

I’m a full-blown, simpering, emotional woman that needs her head checked. I came back to bury my uncle and deal with his estate, not fall in love all over again with Forrest. I have a life in the city, a job I love, plenty of friends but no one to share my life. I am pathetic. Here I’m all worked up about a man that I haven’t seen in fifteen years. Did he even cross my mind when I was at college? No, he didn’t because we were at different colleges. Hell, our paths didn’t even cross in town when I came to visit Uncle Jack and my cousins. So why am I thinking about him now? Actually it’s my libido that is doing the work now. Taking a deep breath and slowly letting it go, I felt my body start to relax when I heard footsteps ascending the front porch stairs. I knew who it was and I wasn’t in the right frame of mind.

“Go away, please. I’ve had enough for today.” she said.

“No, I will not go away and neither will you, Donna. Please talk to me, that’s all I’m asking.”

Opening her eyes, she really looked at him and saw sorrow in those gorgeous eyes. And maybe something else, she wasn’t sure. “What do you want to talk about? Uncle Jack is dead, I’m here to help plan the funeral and settle his estate. When that is done, I’m going back home to my classroom to teach and live my life. Need I to explain it in more simplistic terms?”

He suddenly grabbed me by the arm, and pulled me up against him, until we were standing belly to belly. Licking her dry lips, she saw a man that was on the edge of his sanity and didn’t want to push him any further. Softening against him, she laid my head on his chest and sighed. She soon felt warm arms wrap around her and was engulfed in all the male goodness that she expected from him. Strong, yet gentle, and patient. All he wanted to do was talk to me and I was acting like a spoiled brat. I looked up at him and said, “What is it Forrest? You didn’t come over here to spar with me, so talk. I promise that I will listen to you.”

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

Forrest is actually a real person from my dad’s hometown and when my grandmother died a couple of years ago, he was at the funeral and come up and hugged me. We hadn’t seen each other in over 10 years. He told me that he stopped by her house a couple of weeks before she died just to say hello. Forrest is a kind, caring and very compassionate man. Unfortunately, he is going to have to work hard on Diane to come around. Diane is a very strong woman and doesn’t expect to find love in a town where she was considered an outsider. She fights back and fights for what she wants.

8) What’s next?

I really need to finish this up and start writing the second and last book in this series. Plus, I have another series planned but this one will be harder to write because the heroine is me.

9) Tell me where you write?

Actually I started this at work but I mostly write at home on my bed or kitchen table with my new laptop.

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

I would like to able to quit my EDJ and write full time. Believe this or not, but that’s what hubby wants too for me.

11) Where can we find you?

I have a writing blog and an author page on Facebook. I use my real name for Twitter. Too confusing otherwise. J

Twitter: @marika67

http://mywritingbyharlie.blogspot.com

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Harlie-Writer/224885394212458

Email: HarlieWilliams25@gmail.com

Youe series sounds great, Harlie! It reminds me a little bit of my favorite Nora Roberts book ever, Montana Sky. That was a situation where the patriarch on a ranch dies and the ranch has to be split between the remaining children. The conflict is rife and the romance sizzling. Sounds similiar to yours, lol! Looking forward to seeing it published ;)

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