Welcome paranormal romance author, Melissa Fox...

So happy to welcome the lovely and ultra-friendly romance write, Melissa Fox to my blog today - Looking forward to learning more about you and your writing, Melissa! Are you ready to get started with my questions?

Thank you, Rachel, for having me on the blog!

1)  Who is your favourite author and why?

Oh, boy. I have so many authors I truly enjoy, it’s hard to pick just one. And I love discovering new favorites. There’s no feeling like reading an author for the first time, loving the words, and knowing I have new worlds to sink into and catch up with. Nora Roberts writing as J.D. Robb has to be at the top, though. Her Eve and Roarke continue to make me smile years after reading the first In Death book. Keeping them sexy, interesting, and fresh has to be an amazing amount of work and creativity, but she’s managed to keep it strong through the years.

2)  When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’ve written stories since I was old enough to form words. When my friends all clamored for more, I remember that being the first lightning strike of “Wow. Real people like the imaginary people in my head.” It wasn’t until a few years ago when I got involved with a bunch of fantastic ladies who wrote stories online in writer’s groups and fanfiction that I realized I could actually finish a full-length tale that adults enjoyed reading, too.

3)  Describe your writing space?

I have an office with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, a very comfortable and familiar desk and shelving system that looks out onto our wooded front lawn, lots of light, and an electric fireplace for extra warmth and ambiance. Dog bed under the desk, with three big dogs crammed on it as I write this! The desk is a bit cluttered right now, but I honestly work better that way.

4)  What are you reading now?

I’m almost finished with Sarah Grimm’s “After Midnight,” and just read the last page of Kate SeRine’s second book in her Transplanted Tales series “The Better To See You.” Both excellent stories I highly recommend.

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

I’ve written a few, but have my debut novel published with The Wild Rose Press. I signed a contract for the second in the series late last year. I’ve got a number of works in progress, and two other completed manuscripts I’m almost ready to start submitting for publication. My favorite is one of the completed manuscripts, working title “First Impressions and Second Chances”. I’m starry-eyed in love with the hero in that one, an undercover Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer named Ash Beaulieu.

6)  What comes first, plot or characters?

Definitely characters for me. I usually start with a conversation, image, or scene in my head, let it roll around a bit, have some conversations and scenarios with the insistent little bugger, and then start writing once we’ve gotten to know each other better. Sometimes the plot isn’t revealed to me until much later.

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

Oh, man, yes. Sometimes the words, the character, the scene isn’t there. Sometimes I’ve misunderstood them. I poke at it until I’m sure the characters are just as irritated as I am, and that’s my clue to take a step back, let it sit, and mull over it in the back of my mind for a while. I mess with or edit another work in progress in the meantime, take the dogs for a walk, brainstorm with a friend, just continue to move forward with something and keep the creative flow moving.

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

I live on an amazing island in the Puget Sound, so I love to walk and hike with the dogs and my husband when he’s home. We have miles of gorgeous beach and forest, so relaxing and inspiring. We use the water a lot – squidding and clamming in the fall and winter, shrimping and crabbing during spring and summer. We have lots of visitors, friends and family, and hubs and I both love having people come stay. We’ve both gotten into sport shooting, and are often at the local Sportsmen’s Club range, participating in Five Stand and sporting clays.

9)  Tell us about your latest book?

WRAITH REDEEMED is my debut novel, a paranormal romance from The Wild Rose Press. Conor is a demon-slaying warrior who done his woman wrong by leaving to protect her, but now he’s back to save her life from the very danger he wanted to avoid. Conor and Merry’s adventure was an awful lot of fun to write, a second chance reunion story with a hero who acknowledges his mistake, owns up to it, apologizes, and applies his singular focus and determination to fixing it.

10) What’s next for you?

The second book in the Wraith series, WRAITH ENCAHNTED, has been contracted by The Wild Rose Press and is currently going through edits. I hope to have a release date later this year. It’s a friends-to-lovers story featuring Jonas, the spell-deflecting Wraith warrior partner of Conor’s. He has his hands full when he’s called upon to protect one of his best friends, spell-casting witch Celia. I have two contemporary romances completed and am finishing self-edits before sending out to publishing houses, one a sport theme with a hockey-playing hero (one of my favorites), the other the suspense undercover Mountie story.

SUMMARY

Demon-slayer Conor O’Shea is about to engage in the most dangerous encounter of his life—facing the woman he scorned.

For years, Merry Bradbury's world revolved around Conor O'Shea. After his sudden betrayal leaves her alone and heartbroken, she comes home to settle her past and move into the future. The last person she expects to see is Conor.

Conor never wanted anything more than forever with Merry. Discovering he is a Wraith warrior, honor bound to fight demons, destroys that plan. Merry is his Amorta, his one true soul mate, but he leaves to keep her safe from the evil that stalks him.

Eight years later, Conor's worst fear is realized, and he returns to defend Merry from his enemies. Can he save her from an unspeakable fate and reclaim her heart? And if he does, will Merry be able to accept all that he is?  

EXCERPT

“Stay here,” Conor told her. “Don’t move, no matter what you see. No matter what happens, Merry. Stay right here.”

He waited until she nodded her assent before he turned. The woman hissed, and his shoulders rolled as he took a step toward her. Merry’s eyes grew round when long-bladed weapons appeared in his hands.

“Wraith,” the woman snarled, lowering herself into a half-crouch.

The wicked blades twisted in his hands to point in her direction. He took another step toward the redhead, unnaturally swift but pure and beautiful in his power.

“Go now,” he said in a quiet, even tone. “And I’ll let you live one more day."

The woman’s attention left him for an instant to settle on Merry, her eyes narrowing with speculation. A slow, feline smile curved her red lips.

“You think you can protect her,” she purred. “How sweet. I’m going to find out if she is as delicious as she smells after I’m done with you. 

Purchase link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009Y85JT6/ref=cm_sw_su_dp

Contest:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d1728c1/"

AUTHOR BIO

After being rationed books by my parents like most kids get rationed candy, I turned to writing to tide me over between fixes. Having lived in the suburbs of the Mid-West, desert of the Southwest, foothills of the Rocky Mountains, I’m now on an island in the Puget Sound with my husband and dogs.

My debut paranormal romance, WRAITH REDEEMED, is now available in print and all e-formats from The Wild Rose Press.

Amazon

The Wild Rose Press

Melissa is waiting to chat! Questions? Comments?