Ashlyn Chase
www.ashlynchase.com
Heaving Bosoms
What is Heaving Bosoms about?
I’d have to say this contemporary romantic comedy is about courage. All the main players demonstrate great courage, but none as much as the heroine, Tonia. As the trophy wife of a Mafia Don, she learned how to put up and shut up. But once he goes to jail she’s determined to break out of her own prison. Although she knows you don’t divorce “the family,” she does.
She’s hiding out with a new identity when she meets Raphael, a medical student working occasional shifts as a paramedic. Once he knows who she really is, he could and probably should forget about her. But he shows extraordinary courage, staying right by her side when her ex-bodyguard and her ex-husband’s mistress locate her and want the offshore bank account numbers tattooed on Tonia’s butt. When the bodyguard tries to double-cross them, the mistress knocks him out and ties him up. These two women who hate each other have to cooperate to get to the Cayman Islands and empty the account—and Raphael is going along to referee.
What inspired you to write it?
My friend and fellow writer, Liana Dalton, relayed a story about how she stepped in a hole, twisted her ankle, and had to be carted off to the hospital under duress by a couple of hunky EMT’s. Someone teased her about falling because she was top-heavy. Another friend with a sense of humor equally as outrageous as my own challenged me to write something about tattooed butts at about that same time. “Okay,” I said, and all of it led to Heaving Bosoms!
What do you think readers will enjoy most about it?
The verbal banter between Tonia and Raphael is a lot of fun, but the story has nonstop action as well. The romance is compelling too. Tonia was a sheltered virgin when she met her ex and had never had another lover until Raphael. Her ex-husband was selfish in bed, only taking care of his own needs. When Raphael shows her all she’d been missing, she becomes his apt student.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I read every day and in winter I watch lots of movies. I’m also addicted to makeover shows. In summer I like to get outdoors, hiking, gardening and kayaking. We travel a fair amount and I love to shop in exotic places.
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve ever done?
Now there’s a tough question! I’ve done loads of interesting things, but I guess I’d have to go back to my young and stupid days. I went to Europe by myself, twice. The first time I was 18 and invincible. One of my favorite things to do was to wander around a lovely German, Austrian or Italian city and purposely get lost. I found all kinds of interesting things and people that way. I also learned how to say, “Get your hands off me” in a couple of different languages.
The second time I was 26, pawned my ex’s engagement ring, and only had enough money to get to Great Britain and back. I had a couple of friends who let me sleep on their couches, but I managed to see plenty of wonderful things—Stonehenge, Winchester Cathedral, the English Channel. My souvenirs? Swan feathers from the River Thames. Walking everywhere and having no money is also a terrific diet! I lost 20 pounds.
Who’s the sexiest man who ever lived and why?
Wow, this is like an essay test. The questions get harder as you go along! Okay … Robert Redford. Why? Because. (I was never any good at essay tests either.)
Who do you admire most and why?
I guess I’d have to say my mother. Given the circumstances of her life, her story is amazing and I have enormous admiration for all she accomplished with only a high school diploma.
She was a Pennsylvania Dutch Quaker and grew up on a dairy farm. She always displayed the courage of her convictions, even if it meant going against her upbringing or peers. She moved to the big city (Muncie, Indiana) and became a hairdresser, eventually owning her own business. In her spare time, she took flying lessons. As if that weren’t shocking enough, she enlisted in the Army on the first day women were allowed to because America was involved in World War II and she wanted to help. After she worked as a cook for a while, her intelligence (and pilot’s license) came to light and she was sent to Officer’s Candidate School. She became the commanding officer of the all-black WAC detachment as well as one of the first female pilots. Her words of wisdom that stay with me are: “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” and, “When you don’t know what to do, do the right thing.”
Tell us about your first love.
His name was Steve Dentali and we met in the drama club. He was smart, fun and had the dreamiest brown eyes. He was not only my first love, but he was my first real date, gave me my first kiss and eventually, my first heartbreak. I mean the can’t eat, sleep or stop crying for three days kind of heartbreak. Oddly enough, we’re still friends today. He’s a PhD in herbology now, travels extensively, lectures to the medical community, and publishes books on herbal medicine. He’s married to a woman from Brazil, and became the instant father of three children as part of the deal. I think he remembers my brother wanting to kill him as one of his life’s more unnerving moments.
If you could have a magical power what would it be?
I’d like the power to lighten the world’s woes and help people be happier and more content. In order to do that, I must have the power to get my name before all the fans of romantic comedy in the English speaking world so, hopefully, lots of them will buy and read my books. Then, I’d like them to be translated into several different languages so I can reach even more wonderful readers. I already know my books have the power to entertain and uplift readers, so all I need to do is begin the ripple effect. One person who’s in a good frame of mind will help others and so on, and so on.
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Teri Thackston
www.terithackston.com
Perilous Passions
What is Perilous Passions about?
It's about a feisty heiress named Reilly Shea who comes home to New York State from a European tour to find Deputy U.S. Marshal Hunt Ramsey has taken over her home as a base for a stakeout. Reilly wants to be alone to grieve for her recently deceased uncle, but Hunt is looking for a witness to the murder of another deputy. That witness is one of Reilly's best friends, so of course Hunt can't let her out of the house to possibly alert her friend's family.
What inspired you to write it?
I actually started writing it as a sequel to another book that will be released later this year. I loved one of the secondary characters in that other book. But he wouldn't behave in the sequel as I thought he should. He wanted to do things his own way, so I finally just let him. Suddenly what was a difficult sequel to write turned into a stand-alone book ... and it became the first of my novels to sell.
What do you think readers will enjoy most about it?
I think they'll like the way that Reilly—who's spontaneous and creative—charms her way past Hunt's all-business demeanor to change his belief that love is a fairytale concocted by bored heiresses seeking distraction from their humdrum lives. He really learns to loosen up and let himself go for the first time. Their first love scene involves oil paint and balloons, and that's all I'm going to say!
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I love to read, of course, and work in the yard. Last year my husband and I created a small park in our front yard that the neighbors all love (fortunately!). It's a great place to wander through or to sit and read. I also love to watch anything on TV that's related to ghosts: "Ghost Hunters," "Most Haunted," "Weird Travels," that kind of thing. I've even written a couple of ghost stories I hope to publish soon.
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve ever done?
It's hard to pick one thing and I guess I'd have to ask "interesting to whom?" My great Manhattan adventure—Central Park, Broadway, Times Square—was a romantic and exciting trip from beginning to end, and it gave me a taste of New York City that I think every American should experience. My midnight alligator hunt near my family farm along the Texas coast was exciting—I'm glad to say we didn't find the 14-footer we were looking for. Spending weekends at my youngest sister's supposedly haunted house and hoping it was just my imagination that woke me with the sensation that someone was standing over my bed ... someone who didn't want me there. Romance, adventure or spookiness, surely one of those events will interest someone.
Who’s the most dashing man who ever lived and why?
Colonel William Barrett Travis, of course. At first shunned by his men at the Alamo in favor of his co-commander Jim Bowie, Travis carried himself with dignity and honor—and enough fire and courage to impress even the toughest Texican. He captured the loyalty of his fellow defenders. "Victory or death," he wrote in his call for aid and I always believed that—despite the fall of the Alamo—he achieved both.
Who do you admire most and why?
My parents are the best people I've ever known. They never had it easy, but they've always made it through life with dignity and grace as well as love for their daughters and each other. They're always there to help anyone in need and, as a result, they have more friends than you could imagine.
Tell us about your first love.
Actually, I married him! My husband and I met in drama class in high school. He was a senior and I was a junior. He directed me and a fellow classmate in a scene from "The Owl and the Pussycat". One day he was helping me learn to deliver a stage slap—we were alone backstage—and he kissed me. I remember thinking at the time "Finally! A guy who knows how to kiss!" We've recently celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary.
If you could have a magical power what would it be?
Hmmm, the question is usually about a super power (I'd pick flight). But a magic power? I know: I learned to wriggle my nose by watching "Bewitched" when I was a kid (I can actually wriggle it better than Samantha could) because I wanted to be able to levitate objects and float them over to me. That would still come in handy. You know how annoying it is to just get settled into your easy chair with a good book, only to realize you've left your glasses on a table across the room? Wouldn't it be great to wriggle your nose and have those glasses come floating to you? Talk about a handy magical power!
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Janet Davies
www.freewebs.com/janetdavies
Rose Perfect
What is Rose Perfect about?
Rosanna Harlow receives a text message on her cell phone. Not an unusual occurrence but the message is from an unknown man called Archer and he says he is from the year 2049. Thinking it’s a mistake, Rosanna disregards it, only to find Archer McCall traveling through time to ask for her help to stop her best friend from threatening innocent lives in the future. What is she supposed to do? Rat on her best friend? Or help the man she is falling in love with?
What inspired you to write it?
I got this weird text message on my cell phone. The text said the message was from the year 2049. I initially thought it was the time (European style) but the time was already displayed. Like Rosanna, I figured it was some glitch in the system. But then I started thinking what would happen if you received a message from the future and then a time traveler turned up? Would you believe it? What would you do? What if you fell in love with someone you thought could not be yours? Unlike Rosanna, no time traveler turned up on my doorstep but it gave me an idea for my first book.
What do you think readers will enjoy most about it?
Rose Perfect is set in my home town of Brisbane, Australia. It is lighthearted romance with an edge. I think the readers will identify with Rosanna Harlow. She's smart, she's capable and she’s nobody’s fool. However she is totally out of her depth when this gorgeous man from the future appears and shakes up her average, little life. As for Archer, he's the forever kind of man you want to find or the keeper you already have. It's a book for those who are looking for a romantic escape and a laugh.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Generally, I write in my spare time. But when not doing that, I have an old house that is in constant need of repair and renovation. I have painted, scraped, paved, patched and repaired and yet still there is more to do. Anyone is who renovating knows the trials and tribulations. Also I am a mad keen gardener who cannot pass by any plants that are on sale. There is always a spot in the garden for them.
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve ever done?
I would have to say traveling and working overseas. I saw so many weird and wonderful things. I also met wild and colorful characters who I shared some mad experiences with. I learned some valuable, interesting lessons. Also, getting five books under contract has also been an interesting experience. I believe in pushing boundaries just to see how far you can go.
Who’s the most dashing man who ever lived and why?
The most dashing man who ever lived? That's a hard question. If we are talking well-known men, I would say Pierce Brosnan, especially in the movie “The Thomas Crown Affair.” He's smart, sexy, strong and capable. He comes across as a man in control. However, I tend to believe there are a lot of unknown dashing men out there who would give Pierce a run for his money.
Who do you admire most and why?
My mother. She was the strongest, smartest woman I have ever known. No matter what happened, she coped. Her sense of humor was phenomenal. At any moment of crisis you could turn to her and know she would either help you or tell you snap out of it and get on with it. Strength, dependability and loyalty in anyone are to be admired.
Tell us about your first love.
Like a lot of Aussies, I traveled and worked overseas. While working in Scotland, I met a wild, tempestuous Scot who I became infatuated with. However, being young and adventurous, I did not want to be tied down. So I left in search of something more. Call me crazy, but I had itchy feet. Now, every time I hear a male Scottish accent I think “what if” and “if only,” generally followed by a stern “get a grip.” Past love is always sweet but the possibility of future love is much more exciting.
If you could have a magical power what would it be?
My magical power would be to have the ability to eat whatever delicious calorie-laden thing I wanted and be able to burn it off in super fast time and never put on any weight. I would, of course, share this power with the real women of the world so we could all indulge without out guilt or the agony of exercise.
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Phylis Warady
home.earthlink.net/~phyliswarady/
The Golden Swan
What is The Golden Swan about?
It’s a story about a seemingly mismatched pair. Andrew is a titled nobleman and career diplomatic whose wings are temporarily clipped by his father because of his scandalous liaison with a married peer that results in a divorce proceeding. His sire demands that he marry and make his home in the country with a penniless waif until she bears him a heir to the family title. These conditions don’t sit well with Viscount Temple who is used to sophisticated incomparables capable of playing hostess in diplomatic circles.
At 17, sweet-natured Jenny is not only homely, she is basically a homebody who resists Andrew’s attempt to make her fit into the mold he desires in a wife.
What inspired you to write it?
Actually these two characters whirled around in my head for several years. They coalesced because I was invited to be part of a series of Traditional Regencies based on fairy tales. My choice was Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Ugly Duckling.” It highlights Jenny’s slow but sure maturation from Ugly Duckling to Golden Swan, not only physically beautiful, but with a beautiful soul as well.
What do you think readers will enjoy most about it?
Its complexity. Adding a fairy tale layer makes for a more satisfying story that draws in the reader. Tales that make use of myths, fairy tales and legends depend in part on collective memories of all humanity learned from the cradle and beyond. Such tales have been passed down for centuries. And, I believe, a fresh tale based on said collective memory, if done deftly, helps create an automatic connection between author and reader.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
What spare time? Once I decided to become a writer, I discovered that no matter what activity I engage in, even the most intimate, impish part of me is ever hovering, all set to make use of whatever is happening in a fresh tale.
I’m an insatiable reader. If trapped in traffic, I’ve been known to read the DMV manual if nothing else is handy. Fiction is my favorite read, but I also enjoy sifting through dry tomes when on a research binge. I do daily crossword puzzles and find bridge fascinating, though I’m an indifferent player—never having found a window of spare time to devote to improvement of my game.
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve ever done?
Forsaking kith and kin and flying from LA to NYC in my early 20s to seek my fortune. While I didn’t exactly take the city by storm, I had an absolutely wonderful three years to take it all in and once married and a mother wrote short stories set there that were published.
Who’s the most dashing man who ever lived and why?
Gee whiz, do I only get one pick? Utterly impossible to choose. Of actors, I always enjoy James Caan, chiefly because he’s not only talented but for his choice of material. And Billy Bob Thornton, not only because he’s a great actor, but what he writes and then sees filmed depicts the present South. Since the Civil War, most great fiction writers have mined the South. But at the moment, his tales are the most relevant. I guess what I admire the most in both of these guys is their courage in what they choose to do with their talents.
Another guy that turns me on is Frank Langella. After all these years, I still admire his performance in “Diary of a Mad Housewife.” In fact, I think some of the racier dialogue is permanently imprinted in my mind’s eye.
Who do you admire most and why?
Nelson Mandella from South Africa. I admire anyone who can stand up to bullies and who uses nonviolence means to achieve worthwhile goals. Besides, he’s one of the more handsome martyrs.
Tell us about your first love.
Coal-black haired and green-eyed, he was a rangy devil. And a mad artist (mad, bad and dangerous to know) with a lot of baggage that eventually soured the relationship. Quite eccentric, he achieve a modicum of fame, though alas for him, shortlived.
If you could have a magical power what would it be?
Professionally, I’d adore fusing the great movie versions of Jane Austen’s books, written 200 years ago, but still great reads by that talented author, with the current crop of Traditional Regencies that were languishing before Cotillion snapped them up.
As for my wish for the general population it’d be to fight less and love more.
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Barbara Goodwin
www.barbaragoodwin.com
Hearts Flight
What is Hearts Flight about?
Hearts Flight is a time travel novel about Emma McDaniel, a war secretary in 1944. Her civilian husband is killed in a bombing raid in London and while she's on her way to claim his body, her DC-3 hits a strange vortex and she ends up in modern day. Pilot Tom Wells takes her under his wing, but mysterious things start to happen. She's told to tell Tom to "keep the past in the past." Neo-Nazis assualt Tom, he has a room dedicated to 1944 including a mysterious Army Air Force uniform hanging in the closet.
What inspired you to write it?
I've always loved time travel stories and I think there's a strange romance about World War II and the way people loved hard and fast during war time.
What do you think readers will enjoy most about it?
The mystery and the romance. There's a sizzling connection between the hero and heroine. They feel it but don't understand it. Plus, the hero is warm and kind, but distant about certain things.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
When I'm not working as a flight attendant for a major airline or writing, I take long walks with my springer spaniel. I love to read, go to the most recent movies and spend time with my family.
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve ever done?
Two things both relating to my flight attendant job. I served former President Gerald Ford his first-class meal on my flight years ago. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would meet a United States president. The second thing is another flying story. The flight was minus the purser one day and the lovely Candace Bergen got up and helped me serve the first-class passengers. From nuts to entrees to desserts, we worked together for over two hours. I was honored and thrilled. What a wonderful person she is!
Who’s the most dashing man who ever lived and why?
Tom Selleck, of course! His sense of humor comes through in everything he does. Sigh.
Who do you admire most and why?
My father. When he was alive, he lived life the way he believed it should be led. He was honest, kind, loyal, steadfast and loving. He had the most fantastic sense of humor. I miss him still.
Tell us about your first love.
I won't name names, but I was 16. He was tall, dark and handsome (yes, just like in romance novels). He played drums in the high school dance band. And once again...he had the funniest sense of humor. (See a trend here?) His kisses were fabulous! (Sigh)
If you could have a magical power what would it be?
I would want to speak to dogs. Out loud. I mean really hear them, have conversations with them. Laugh and joke with them. I would like to know when something was wrong so I could get the proper care for them to make them better.
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Heather Hiestand
www.heatherhiestand.com
Cards Never Lie
What is Cards Never Lie about?
Melanie needs to change her conservative ways after divorcing a much older man and find a new, wild life, even though a fortuneteller makes it clear she’ll get more than she bargained for. What can a girl do but jet to Las Vegas and start hunting for her man? Soon, sex-toy-company CEO Rob enters her life, but so do spies, handcuffs and mayhem.
What inspired you to write it?
Believe it or not, I did a tarot reading for my former college roommate that said her soul mate was the devil. She never met him (to her knowledge) but the idea really got my creative juices flowing, especially because I had to figure out what the reading really meant. I didn’t want her soul mate to really be, you know, THE DEVIL!
What do you think readers will enjoy most about it?
I wrote it in a light, fun mood, so there are lots of zany characters and crazy situations. Plus, it is mostly set in Las Vegas, which I love and which perfectly suits the feeling of the book.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I am a bookworm, so reading is my biggest pleasure, after spending time with my husband. I also love walks, where I can check out all the cool stuff my neighbors have and plot ways to update my own little house.
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve ever done?
I started my own home care agency (since closed due to relocation). What an experience to start and operate your own small business!
Who’s the most dashing man who ever lived and why?
Wow, the word dashing has such connotations. It’s almost easier to find a fictional character with that characteristic. I will go with George Washington, the first president of the United States. He must have had amazing charisma and leadership skills to be chosen as the first president, not to mention tremendous personal integrity. And of course, he was a warrior as well.
Who do you admire most and why?
My parents, for having supported me and spent tons of time helping with my business and now my writing career, despite having lots of better things to do. They have strong faith in what they believe in.
Tell us about your first love.
That would be the cartoon character Speed Racer, who was my imaginary friend when I was three years old. I loved the heroic type even then! I used to swing with him on a neighbor’s play set.
If you could have a magical power what would it be?
When I was a child, I wanted to be queen of a magic castle in the clouds with tons of cool stuff including rooms full of books, and all the people I knew could come and hang out there. I guess the magical power was the ability to give people I cared about a good time. It still sounds great!
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Terri Beckett & Chris Power
Nettleflower
What is Nettleflower about?
Terri: Nettleflower is a story of love and conflicted loyalties set in Anglo-Saxon England
Chris: It's about love and loyalties and choices, set in the disputed borderlands between Wales and Anglo-Saxon England.
What inspired you to write it?
Terri: A love of history and a desire to show that English history doesn't begin with the Conquest in 1066!
Chris: A fascination with history and culture-clashes, and human nature.
What do you think readers will enjoy most about it?
Terri: I hope they enjoy getting to know the characters and seeing them deal with what happens in the story.
Chris: I hope they'll be caught up in the lives and problems of the characters, and that they'll enjoy the relationships, the drama and the humor.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Terri: Reading, writing, and painting.
Chris: Reading, writing, archaeology, 15th century reenacting, making 15th century gowns, sewing.
What's the most interesting thing you've ever done?
Terri: Traveling. And living abroad.
Chris: I've been on a series of archaeological digs some years ago—and I love to travel. I went to Malta last year and fell in love with the island, its people and its amazing history.
Who's the most dashing man who ever lived and why?
Terri: Alexander the Great. No contest! What can you say about a man who was ruler of the known world at age 30!
Chris: Don't know about dashing, but the most fascinating to me is Richard III of England—a much maligned man in my opinion.
Who do you admire most and why?
Terri: See above. Alexander was an exceptional man!!
Chris: Leonardo da Vinci—the ultimate creative genius.
Tell us about your first love.
Terri: Has to be the man I met when I was 17 and married at 19—41 years ago.
Chris: The man I married when I was 19. We were together for 21 years.
If you could have a magical power what would it be?
Terri: I would be able to communicate with animals!
Chris: That's a toughie. The talent to travel through time at will—with the allied gift of being able to speak any language I came across! Or is that cheating?
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Delia Carnell
www.deliacarnell.com
Tougher Than Diamonds
What is Tougher Than Diamonds about?
It’s about Rebecca’s quest to recover a large diamond that was stolen from her mother by the man she holds responsible for her mother’s death. She enlists the aid of Jake, a washed-up detective who has his own baggage with this same villain. Along the way, they both discover that some things are more precious than a diamond, no matter how large and rare it may be.
What inspired you to write it?
I started with the idea of a woman breaking into a house in search of some kind of treasure. I wasn’t sure what at first. It probably grew from my great love of Lawrence Block’s Bernie the Burglar books. And my Jake is a little bit Bogart.
What do you think readers will enjoy most about it?
Probably no two people enjoy a given book for the same reason. There are many things I like about this book. I like how tough Jake is, although he’s got a lot of softness inside him. I really love the 1930s film noir feel that it has to it although it’s a very modern tale. And I like that it’s set in Tampa, my home. It’s the first time I’ve used Tampa for a setting. It was a lot of fun.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
We’re in that depressing part of the year when there is no football for five or six months, so I’ll make a valiant effort to get through my TBR pile. And I can’t go more than a month without my Disney fix, so there will be plenty of trips to the World coming up. I don’t understand why they won’t let me live in the castle!
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve ever done?
I was the Princess of Sparklevania for a time, but I’ve been in exile since the evil Knights of Darkness stormed the castle, and—Wait, that was only in my head. I think my imagination is more interesting than my real life, although raising my son was never dull.
Who’s the most dashing man who ever lived and why?
I want to say Clark Gable, but I’m really thinking Rhett Butler. A man who lives in every moment of his life. No wasted actions.
Who do you admire most and why?
Captain Jack Sparrow—a man who doesn’t give a damn and doesn’t care whether anyone else does. Also, James Bond for his commitment to his cause. Or any of those so-so singers who audition for American Idol knowing full well all of America will make fun of them if they aren’t good enough but who won’t give up on the dream regardless.
Tell us about your first love.
It was the third grade, and it was the first time I’d met someone smarter than me. Those gorgeous blue eyes didn’t hurt either. We became very good friends, dated some in high school and college, and remain pretty close. He lives in London now, so I don’t get to see him much, but we usually have lunch when he comes to visit family. I still love him. I always will.
If you could have a magical power, what would it be?
Oh, no question—invisibility. Can you imagine how much fun that would be! |
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