• Character Interviews

    Fantasy vs Reality: Weighting for Mr Right @pawf1067 #RLFblog

    Weighting for Mr Right
    Article by author Patricia
    W Fisher, RN.
    I don’t want a size two ass. I never
    have.
    In my romantic comedy, Weighting for
    Mr. Right, I didn’t want my heroine, Megan Sayla, to end up with one either.
    I will confess. Initially, I planned
    for her to lose a ton of weight to find her happily ever after. Problem with that
    scenario is we’ve all seen it enough times to count and I knew the majority of my
    readers wouldn’t be able to relate and probably lose interest in her. She wouldn’t
    be relatable nor likeable and would fall out of the fantasy of the romance and honestly,
    it’s not very realistic.
    By the end of the book, I wanted readers
    to cheer for Megan’s success and think, “I like this girl. We could out and
    drink margaritas all weekend.”
    Don’t get me wrong, regaining or keeping
    your health takes work and I’ve lost and gained and lost enough times to make my
    head spin.
    Problem is, I love to eat and I’ve
    had more than my share of temper tantrums in dressing rooms of major department
    stores, just ask my husband or my mom. But with the growing epidemic of obesity
    in our country and the world, I wanted to be responsible and address how all of
    us who hate the size of our thighs, might have gotten where we are and how to get
    healthier. I wanted to write a realistic heroine in a romantic comedy (fantasy)
    where I gave a good message.
    So how would I weave fantasy with
    reality so people didn’t think they’d been preached to, but still liked the characters
    (and me) by the time I wrote The End?
    As a former ICU nurse, I’d seen my
    share of what poor health habits can do to a body. I remember one family all out
    in the waiting room eating tubs of BBQ and potato salad while they each took turns
    visiting grandma in the ICU after her heart attack and open heart surgery. As much
    as I wanted to shake them and say, “Look at what you’re doing,” I also
    understood it. Food is as much of a nutritional necessity as it is comfort.
    In Weighting for Mr. Right, Megan
    Sayla has comforted herself with food far too long and just by saying the word No
    at the most inopportune time (her wedding), she’s thrown down a path of self-discovery
    and given the potential to eat a big ass pile of Krispy Kreme donuts. (Remember,
    when the marquis light’s on, you get a free donut.)
    That’s when the story really begins
    because what Megan discovers is that sometimes what you want may not be what’s best
    for those in your life. I’d witnessed it enough to see that change causes major
    chaos, even if the change is a good thing. That was the reality of Weighting for
    Mr. Right.
    Now here’s the fantasy. There’s a
    very hot guy in it named Jacob Dante who thinks Megan is amazing from the moment
    he meets her. To be clear, the guy is the fantasy, not the fact he likes her.
    He looks a lot like this guy, my friend
    Warren. Check out his Facebook page here: https://facebook.com/modelwarren
    You’re welcome!
    And that’s the simple version of how
    I mixed fantasy and reality in my book.
    Soulmate Publishing http://soulmatepublishing.com/weighting-for-mr-right/
    Amazon http://amzn.com/B00A78F83E/

    Find Me Here

  • Character Interviews,  Contemporary

    Character Interview: Shane from Desire Unleashed @Layne_Macadam #RLFblog

    Desire Unleashed 
    Layne Macadam, welcome
    to Romance Lives Forever. We’re excited to interview your character, Shane Jackson
    aka Ice, from the book, Desire Unleashed.
    Genre: Contemporary
    Romance
    Publisher: Liquid
    Silver Books
    Cover artist: Lyn
    A Taylor
    Length: 105K words
    Heat rating: Spicy
    Hot
    Tagline: Find out what happens
    when a career-driven, cocky Navy SEAL meets an old-fashioned good girl looking for
    love in all the wrong places. Intrigue, kidnapping, and danger await you in this
    explosive tale of desire unleashed.
    Blurb:
    When schoolteacher Kathy Bellamy moved from Louisiana
    to Coronado, she
    didn’t expect her secret dream, or her worst nightmare, to become a reality.
    Confirmed bachelor
    and relationship cynic, Shane Jackson has no room in his life for a permanent woman.
    Temporary liaisons are all he is up for. Cocky and self-assured, he believes he
    can pick a like-minded player at a glance. So when he discovers Kathy is the complete
    antithesis of what he believed her to be, he is thrown into a tailspin. Before long,
    and way out of his comfort zone, he finds himself knee deep in a relationship he
    can’t quite seem to end.
    Kathy longs for a fairytale romance, an old-fashioned girl saving herself
    for the right guy. But, after one date with Navy SEAL Shane Jackson, she trashes
    her values and willingly tumbles into the sack without a thought for the consequences.
    Now, Kathy’s love life will soon become the catalyst of a nightmare. When she throws
    caution to the wind and acts out of character, her actions are seen as a betrayal
    by her stalker, a betrayal that demands retribution in blood. Abducted at knifepoint
    and taken to a secret location, it’s up to Shane, the ultimate predator, to find
    and rescue her before it’s too late!
    Buy links:
    What are your main
    characters’ names, ages, and occupations?
    The main characters
    are Shane *Ice* Jackson,
    he’s a Navy SEAL and is 34 years old. Kathy Bellamy is 24, and she is a first grade
    teacher. Kathy has moved from Louisiana to Coronado and that is where
    Shane and Kathy meet.

    Interview with Shane Jackson

    Tell us about yourself.
    Up until recently I was a Navy SEAL, that’s where I got the name Ice, but
    after getting wounded in Cambodia,
    I was medically retired from fieldwork. Now I co-own a private security business
    with my old SEAL team. The guys and me will take on any job *grins* as long as it’s
    legal.
    Tell us about Kathy
    Bellamy.
    What can I say? The moment I laid eyes on her I was smitten. My wife is one
    of those rare creatures who is as beautiful on the outside as she is on the inside.
    She’s feisty when the situation calls for it, and she’s as sexy as hell! She opened
    my eyes and made me see there was more to life than work, and she taught me to trust
    again. I adore her.
    What do you think
    is your strongest point?
    Loyalty. I will hang in there till the end, no matter what, and I will fight
    for what I believe in.
    What would Kathy
    say is your strongest point?
    Well, I think she would probably say my stamina. LOL! Nah, seriously, she
    calls me her rock. It’s funny hearing her say that because I have always thought
    of her as my rock, my anchor.
    What was it like where you grew up?
    I had a rough childhood. I don’t talk about it much, but my mother’s parents
    disowned her when they learned I was on the way. Long story short, she ended up
    on the street and died young. I was in and out of foster care until I was about
    fourteen when a Marine and his wife took me in and turned my life around. They were
    amazing and kind, and I will always be grateful for their love and support.
    What do you wish
    was different about your life?
    My life is perfect now, but if I could change one thing it would be that I
    discovered the identity of Kathy’s stalker before he got to her. I give thanks every
    day that Frosty, and I arrived when we did, thirty minutes later and we would have
    been too late. Only for Frosty, I would have finished that sucker when I had the
    chance.

    About the Author

    I live with my husband, two dogs and a cat on the beautiful east
    coast of Australia.
    I have a full-time job with a degree in history. I’ve always been an avid reader,
    and I love a happy ending, so writing romance seemed a natural progression for me.
    But as I sat at my computer staring at a blank screen it all seemed rather daunting.
    Once I started tapping on the keys though, the words kept flowing and before I knew
    it I had written my first book.
    Layne Macadam 
    I write contemporary romance and sci-fi. I am currently working
    on Desire Denied book 2 in the Desire Series. I have ideas for an historical romance
    in the future, and with thoughts of a wolf shifter germinating in my head a paranormal
    romance is not outside the realms of possibility either.
    When I’m not writing you might find me in the kitchen creating
    culinary delights, but of course some dishes work out better than others!
    I guess my love of history has fueled my other passion which
    is travel. I have been fortunate enough to have seen lots of this wonderful world
    we live in and on my web page you can share some of my experiences and pictures.

    Books Coming Soon

    Desire Denied, Book 2 in the Desire Series

    Contest

    For a chance to win
    a copy of Desire Unleashed please leave your email address with your comment.

    Find Me Here

  • Gay or MM

    Surfeit for the Senses | Interview @TalyaAndor #RLFblog

    Talya Andor, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s talk about
    your book, Surfeit for the Senses.
    Genre: Contemporary gay romance
    Publisher: Less Than Three Press
    Cover artist: Aisha Akeju
    Length: 66,000
    Heat level (based on movie ratings): R
    Tagline: Where the recipe for love mixes up equal parts rivalry
    and the determination to come out on top!
    Blurb: With the buzz and drama of competition behind them, Alex
    is determined to focus on the one thing that matters most: his budding relationship
    with Nik. All the pieces seem to be finally falling into place, as he settles into
    his new living arrangements and gets back into the rhythm of the kitchen, while
    he and Nik spend all their precious free time together.
    Life never stays smooth for long, however. The combined weight
    of family tragedy, television fame, and new, unexpected responsibilities strain
    the bonds of Alex and Nik’s partnership, and conflict between them demands they
    settle the question of equality once and for all. Pulled in so many directions,
    it may be more than a new relationship can take.
    Buy links:
    What are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?
    Alex Koch is twenty-two, and a chef who has been graduated for
    nearly a year from the Culinary Institute of America. Nik Schulze is the same age,
    and also a chef.

    Interview

    How did you get your start in the industry?
    Around the time my grandfather died, I made a blog entry about
    how he had always, always encouraged me
    in my writing, and every time he saw me he asked how that was coming and whether
    he’d get to read something I’d published, and one of my regrets was not having gotten
    to that point before he passed away. I was invited by Less Than Three Press to submit
    manuscripts for their consideration—so I took the chance! I submitted three, and
    happily they were accepted. I’m proud to say that one of my first novels was dedicated
    to my grandfather and his memory.
    What is the most important thing you do for your career now,
    as compared to when you first started writing?
    Put myself out there, really. Before, I was always afraid to
    submit anything, because I feared rejection. Now, I think I could take that to move
    forward and become stronger. I wrote several novel-length manuscripts before I ever
    had the courage to send anything out for submission—about nine? Maybe more? The
    most important thing was to stop holding onto those for “some day” and
    make now that day. Finish, work with my own pre-readers to get them as polished
    as possible, and submit for publisher consideration, then go from there.
    What is your work ethic when it comes to writing?
    I get really focused, sometimes to the point where my friends
    will urge me to take things easy, take a day off once in a while. From my perspective,
    I take too much time off—there’s so many projects, I want to write everything while
    the ideas are fresh and flowing! I tend to shoot for a goal of 2,000 – 3,000 words
    a day, putting it in consistently, and that gives me decent turnout without sacrificing
    quality. That allows me to pace myself and still have good output. Even then, sometimes
    I feel like I’m going too slow. It took me about three months to finish my latest
    novel, and I feel like I should have had it done in a month and a half, tops. Sometimes,
    I have to remind myself to relax and take things as they occur. I have burned out
    before, overreaching myself.
    How do you cope with stress as an author?
    Sangria o’clock! Just kidding. Speaking candidly, I try to pace
    myself. It’s important to strike a work/life balance. In my case, I basically have
    two jobs: the day job, and the author job. I make sure to keep up with my hobbies
    as well, and my exercise regimen, and that keeps me not only grounded, but prevents
    me from sinking too far into one manuscript or another. It can get really hectic
    at times—this week I had to put together a blog tour, I got a print copy to approve,
    there was a daily word count to meet, I got feedback on a manuscript, and things
    were super busy both at home and at work—but I also made time for down time. I watched
    a couple of my favorite shows, exercised daily, and had date night on Friday. It’s
    a juggling act! And I seize every moment of it.
    Do things your family or friends do ever end up in a book?
    I think it’s impossible not to be influenced by that, for sure,
    but I don’t think my friends or family would recognize themselves in any of my characters.
    I don’t build my characters with my own friends or family in mind, either—I construct
    them to their own individual specifications.
    Which of your books would you recommend to someone who doesn’t
    normally read your genre, and why?
    Appetite, for starters!
    I know it may not necessarily be everyone’s cup of tea, with such an intense focus
    on food and fine dining, but Alex goes through a character arc that I really enjoyed
    constructing, and seeing Nik through his eyes was challenging and rewarding.
    What kind of books do you read when taking a break from your
    own writing?
    M/m fiction primarily, though I currently have some books on
    my pile by Brandon Sanderson and Melanie Rawn. I’m a bit eclectic, I read everything
    from contemporary to high fantasy to sci fi, and I tend to follow writers across
    genres. That reflects a bit in my own writing; I always love to try new things.
    Imagine you get to go on a dream vacation, but you have only
    one hour to pack and leave, and it starts as soon as you finish this interview.
    What will you take with you and where will you go?
    My dream vacation would be a tour through Europe, culminating
    in a Mediterranean cruise, ideally with a flight to Japan
    at the end that would give me some time in Tokyo before I returned to the States. I could
    be ready to go in an hour! I’d throw a variety of clothes in a suitcase, stuff my
    laptop in its case, and I’ve already got international calling enabled on my cell
    phone and my passport in my purse. I’d take my Kindle and iPod for the airplane,
    and bring it on.
    What do you like to do when you’re bored?
    This is a rare state for me! I am really busy on a fairly regular
    basis, between writing projects, that work/life balance, and being as lazy as possible
    at every possible opportunity. I keep myself so occupied I can’t remember the last
    time I had leisure to be bored. I’ll bet I played Sudoku, or read a book, or started
    up a video game I hadn’t played in a long time. Even now, I’m itching to finish
    my second playthrough of Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword but I haven’t had the time.
    If your life became a movie, who would you want to play you?
    Drew Barrymore, for sure. Because she’s wacky enough, but also
    tough, smart, and all-around fun, yet she’s got a serious work ethic. She’s well-rounded
    and (possibly only in my head) we bear a passing resemblance to one another.

    Find Me Here

  • Author Interviews,  Contemporary

    Contemporary: There Goes the Groom @JanaRichards_ #RLFblog

    There Goes the Groom
    Jana Richards, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s talk about
    your book, There Goes the Groom.
    Genre: Contemporary Romance
    Publisher: Uncial Press
    Cover artist: Judith B. Glad
    Length: 52,500 words
    Heat rating: Spicy
    Tagline: Tony is given a second chance when fate throws him back
    together with Olivia, the woman he left at the altar eight years ago.
    Blurb:
    Eight years ago Tony left Olivia at the altar. He was sure she
    didn’t really want to marry him. Now he’s back, and they’re forced to work together.
    Coming home isn’t easy for Tony, because his father wanted him
    to work at a trade instead of going off to college. Their relationship is still
    unsteady. Even before Tony’s return, Olivia began questioning the depth of her love
    for her fiancé, a man she chose because he was safe and reliable. The last thing
    she wants is a loveless, faithless marriage like the one her parents suffered through.
    When Tony, who never stopped loving her, insists her fiancé is
    the wrong man for her, Olivia sets out to prove him wrong. But the sexual chemistry
    between them is still strong, and so are her feelings for him. Even so, how can
    she break her engagement, hurt her fiancé as she was once hurt? And how can she
    trust Tony not to abandon her like he did before?
    If anyone does the jilting this time, she will.
    Buy links:
    Uncial Press https://www.uncialpress.com/There-Goes-the-Groom.html
    Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/there-goes-the-groom-jana-richards/1115360337?ean=2940016730424
    ARe https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-theregoesthegroom-1213327-149.html
    What are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?
    Tony DiPietro is a thirty-one year old archeologist. He specializes
    in studying the artifacts and cultures of the aboriginal peoples of the Americas. Aside
    from his work in the field, he is a visiting professor at Simon
    Fraser University
    in British Columbia, Canada.
    Olivia Taylor is twenty-eight years old and is the Director of
    Public Relations for the National Museum of Canada in Ottawa.

    Interview

    How did you get your start
    in the industry?
    You might say I had rather a slow start. For several years, I
    wrote and submitted stories to print publishers like Harlequin and Silhouette, and
    received enough rejection letters to paper my walls. I know now I got those rejection
    letters because my writing wasn’t ready, but that didn’t make it any less painful.
    I was on the verge of quitting writing when a friend urged me to submit to her publisher,
    www.uncialpress.com. I sent “Her
    Best Man” to Uncial Press and was thrilled and amazed when it was accepted.
    Publishing with them gave me the confidence boost I needed to keep writing and to
    continue submitting. I currently have ten works of romance published or under contract
    with three different epublishers.
    If you could change something
    about your first book, what would it be?
    My first published book, “Her Best Man”, was always
    meant to be the first in a series that I called my “Left at the Altar”
    series. If I could change anything about this book, it would be that I wouldn’t
    wait six years before finishing and publishing the second book in the series! When
    I wrote the second book, I submitted it for critique to a published writer who was
    visiting my writing group. Her vision for the book totally differed from mine, but
    since she was multi-published, I figured she must know what she was talking about.
    Using her suggestions, I re-wrote the book, but I didn’t like the result, so I left
    it languishing on my harddrive while I worked on other projects. I finally took
    a second look at the book in 2012, and in the middle of trying to re-write the book
    yet again, I had an epiphany. The revision I was trying to do, based on the published
    writer’s suggestion, was ripping the beating heart of out this story. This was my
    book, no one else’s. So I went back to my original concept, and I’m glad I did.
    I’m definitely not against critiques and critique groups, but I learned that I have
    to be true to the story I want to write.
    What do you enjoy most
    about writing?
    Creating characters, I think. I love creating real people with
    real problems, and I love putting their personalities together, one layer at a time.
    And since I’m a romance writer, I enjoy showing them that love can make their lives
    better and happier.
    If you could give the younger version of yourself advice what
    would it be?
    I would tell my younger writer self that it’s okay to fail. All
    those rejection letters served as a wonderful apprenticeship. It’s how I learned
    my craft.
    Do things your family
    or friends do ever end up in a book?
    Sort of. I think a little bit of every writer ends up in their
    work. Sometimes, especially when I’m creating a secondary character, I’ll find myself
    giving them the characteristics or quirks of people I’ve met. Stories I’ve heard
    also end up in my work. Years ago, someone I worked with told me a story that he’d
    heard from a friend who attended a very unusual wedding. When the bride arrived
    at the altar, the groom turned to the congregation and said there would be no wedding,
    and if they looked under their seats and opened the envelopes taped there, they’d
    understand why. The envelopes had pictures of the bride and the best man in bed
    together. I still don’t know if that story was true, but I’ve wanted to use it in
    a book for years. I finally got my chance in “There Goes the Groom”!
    What are some jobs you’ve
    done before (or while) you were a writer?
    Over the last several years I’ve worked as an office administrator/bookkeeper.
    I’ve been lucky enough to work part-time for many years, which gave me time to look
    after my children when they were young, as well as to write. I’m hoping that within
    the next couple of years I can fully retire from my day job and concentrate exclusively
    on writing.
    Which of your books would
    you recommend to someone who doesn’t normally read your genre, and why?
    I would recommend “Her Best Man” because
    it’s light and funny and has wonderful, quirky characters. It’s also the first in
    a three book series, so hopefully if the reader enjoyed “Her Best Man”,
    she’d go on to read “There Goes the Groom”, and then “Always a Bridesmaid”,
    to be released January 17, 2014 by Uncial Press.
    What kind of books do
    you read when taking a break from your own writing?
    I read a lot of research books when I’m not writing, especially
    history relating World War Two. I have a special interest in the era, and have written
    two books with WW2 as the background. I hope to write several more, hence the research.
    For fun, I’ll read all kinds of romance, mystery or suspense
    novels, with the occasional literary novel thrown in for something completely different.
    What was the proudest
    moment of your life so far?
    On a person level, I’ve had many proud moments—marrying my husband,
    the births of my two daughters, watching them graduate from high school, and then
    university. As a writer, my proudest moment so far was when my editor, Jude Glad
    of Uncial Press, told me I was a ‘real writer’ for going the extra mile with my
    edits on my first book.
    What is your favorite
    holiday and why?
    Christmas is my favorite holiday. I love putting up the tree,
    baking cookies, and shopping for presents. But mostly I love getting together with
    family.
    Where were you at midnight,
    on December 31st when the new century started?
    I distinctly remember this. My husband’s office was concerned
    there might be problems with Y2K, so he had to be close to the office that night
    in case something went wrong. His employer put us up at a hotel about a block from
    the office. He stayed at work most of the night, while my daughter (then twelve)
    and I watched movies before checking out the New Year’s Eve fireworks from our hotel
    window.
    What do you like to do
    when you’re bored?
    When I’m bored I can usually lose myself in a good book. If that
    doesn’t work, I’ll read blogs, go to a movie, or phone someone. If all else fails,
    I’ll resort to exercise, but only as a last resort. I’m kidding, sort of.
    If you were a color, what
    color would you be?
    Interesting question. I don’t consider myself a bright red, out-in-the-front,
    extroverted kind of person, but I hope I’m not a dull grey person either. I think
    I’m a soft buttery yellow. I’m bright and warm, but not in your face. I’m a color
    you can live with for a long time, but I don’t fade into the background.

    Please underline which statement is more like you:

    “I am a vacation spa because I am laid back and relaxed.”
    “I am a ten-countries in ten-days tour vacation, because
    I do things as fast as possible.”
    Actually, I think I’m somewhere in-between these two extremes.
    My husband would never say I was laid back (grin). I used to be a terrible procrastinator,
    and I still struggle with it to some extent, but nowadays, having writing deadlines
    scares me silly. I’m terrified I’ll miss a deadline. So I work hard to get things
    done on time, or usually, before my deadline.

    Please complete the sentences

    I love pizza with everything on it.
    I’m always ready for chocolate.
    When I’m alone, I enjoy the quiet.
    You’d never be able to tell, but I’m very shy.
    If I had a halo it would be dusty, like my house.
    If I could lose weight I’d be thrilled.
    I can never fall asleep on a plane because I’m an insomniac.

    Website: http://www.janarichards.com

    Newsletter sign-up: http://eepurl.com/m3UnT
  • Character Interviews,  Contemporary

    Character Interview: Dr. Colin from Breaking the Rules @melindadozier #RLFblog

    Breaking the Rules
    Melinda, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. We’re excited to interview
    your character, Dr. Colin Calaway from the book, Breaking the Rules.
    Genre: Contemporary Romance
    Publisher: Crimson Romance
    Cover artist: Crimson Romance
    Length: 200 pages
    Heat rating: 3 hearts
    Tagline: Hope, a klutz and perpetual rule follower, falls for
    Dr. Calaway. Is following her heart instead of the rules a good idea?
    Blurb:
    A forbidden love affair in the past has led Hope Robinson, a
    middle school principal, to Harbor Bay,
    Florida, where she commits herself
    to play by the rules. This can be difficult for a perpetual klutz, who—even strapped
    in a cast—has to uphold a competent attitude at all times.
    Luckily, she has Dr. Colin Calaway on her side, a widower and
    father of a student, who is ready to give love another try. When Colin convinces
    Hope they should explore the connection between them, a steamy romance develops,
    though it could destroy them both. They must decide if their jobs—and their hearts—are
    worth the risk.
    Buy links:
    Amazon http://goo.gl/o3Chm
    Barnes and Noble http://goo.gl/xApGh
    iTunes http://goo.gl/T94cX
    What are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?
    Colin Calaway, 33 years
    old, Orthopedic Surgeon
    Hope Robinson, 29 years
    old, Middle School Principal

    Interview with Colin Calaway

    Breaking the Rules

    Tell us about yourself.
    I’m a Floridian since birth and love my family. I work hard as
    an orthopedic surgeon and as a single-father to Jason. My favorite hobbies include
    swimming and surfing … and flirting with Hope.
    Tell us about Hope.
    Hope is this amazing woman who just fell into my life in an unexpected
    way. If Jason never got into trouble, who knows if we would’ve hooked up. She’s
    Jason’s middle school principal at Harbor Bay Prep. She’s funny, though she’d say
    she wasn’t, and a bit klutzy, but it makes her cute. I call her my frequent flyer,
    because she’s in and out of doctor’s offices so much.
    What do you think is your strongest point?
    Time Changes Everything
    I’d do anything for my family. Since Jason’s mom died, I’m his
    only parent and I know how hard that is on the little guy. So, us Calaway men need
    to stick together.
    What would Hope say is your strongest point?
    Hope cracks me up. She always calls me Mr. Perfect. I’m not sure
    why she thinks that. We are so compatible it’s frightening and I get her – so maybe
    she’d say that’s my strongest point.
    What would Hope say is your biggest weakness?
    My persistence, but in the end it paid off. If I gave up on Hope
    early on, like she wanted me to, we’d never be engaged now.
    Describe a place of perfect refuge.
    When I need to think or meditate on
    life’s decisions, you’d probably find me on the ocean with my surfboard. That’s
    my quiet place. 
    As a child, who was your best friend? Tell us about him/her.
    Tim Weeks is my best friend and almost brother. We’ve been friends
    since I can’t even remember. He’s in Breaking
    the Rules
    , too, and he’s hard to miss – quite a loudmouth, unfortunately. A
    little bird told me Melinda has Tim’s story in the works.

    About the Author

    Melinda Dozier lives in Guatemala,
    Central America, with her husband, three boys and
    German Shepherd. She enjoys being the queen of her household and dreams of being
    pampered fully by her boys once they’re grown.

    Previous Books

    Melinda Dozier
    Time Changes Everything
    from Entranced Publishing.

    Find Me Here

  • Character Interviews,  Historical

    Character Interview: Katherine from Derailed @sadiecass #RLFblog #Historical

    Derailed 
    Sarah Cass, welcome back to Romance Lives Forever. We’re excited to
    interview your character, Katherine (Kat) Daugherty from the book, Derailed.
    Genre: Historical Western Romance
    Publisher: Secret Cravings Publishing
    Cover artist: Sarah Cass
    Length: 96k
    Heat rating: 4 Flames
    Tagline:
    The sins of a past she can’t remember could destroy a present
    she’ll never forget.
    Blurb:
    The crimes of her forgotten past threaten the very life Jane
    Doe has learned to cherish.
    Jane is out of time. With a warrant on her head, a maniac out
    for her blood, and a secret baby on the way, something has to give.
    Without Cole Mitchell’s help to find the answers, there may be
    no hope left.
    Cole has nowhere left to hide. He unwittingly let Jane into his
    heart, and is ready to share the secret of his dark past.
    Fate has a way of playing its hand, and tragedy strikes. With
    the world crumbling around them, it’s easy to lose faith. If they can’t forgive
    past sins, they have no hope for the future.
    Because the noose waits for no man or woman.
    Buy links:
    Secret Cravings Website http://bit.ly/12J4bO9
    Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/1bkEnQw
    ARe http://bit.ly/170laAc
    Bookstrand http://bit.ly/1diptbG
    What are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?
    Jane Doe is an almost-30
    year old woman with amnesia. When she first comes to Dominion Falls
    in book 1 she ends up with a job as a sort of hotel manager, and de facto PR rep
    for the hotel owner. For a woman in 1871, she’s strong and capable and knows what
    she wants. In book 2 she gets a new job one well suited for her librarian.
    Cole Mitchell is in his
    mid-30’s (he won’t reveal his age, sorry…he keeps personal facts close to the vest).
    He is 51% owner of a saloon and brothel in Dominion Falls.
    When the story first starts he’s content to be alone and never let anyone in. Jane
    brings something to life in him, and he resists until he realizes he doesn’t want
    to resist any longer.

    Interview with Katherine Daugherty aka Kat

    Tell us about yourself.
    Well, I’m not one to talk about myself.
    *Mad laughter breaks out in the next room. Kat’s nose wrinkles
    and she shouts at the door*
    Shut up, Jane! Anyway. My name’s Katherine Daugherty, most people
    call me Kat. Jane’s lover, and my former lover, Cole, calls me Kathy. I’m in my
    mid-twenties and have no qualms about that “old maid” line of bull.
    I was the “oops, what a surprise” baby to my parents.
    After they had Martha they tried and tried to have a boy, but nothing ever happened.
    After ten years of trying, they gave up. Five years later, voila.
    I didn’t want to be part of the arranged marriage my mother planned
    for me, so I took off at fifteen. I joined the temperance league for a while, but
    boy-howdy did those women take some brutal tasks to forward their goal, it wasn’t
    my cup of tea but a cup of whiskey turned out to be, so I left them. Spent some
    time back in Dominion
    Falls after, took up with
    Cole, because well, have you seen that man? It was a fun romp, but then I fell for
    Norman…and then I can’t explain why, but I left Dominion Falls
    again.
    Since then I’ve been living in St. Louis. I work at a bank, but in my free time
    I work to forward the suffragist movement.
    Tell us about Norman.
    Norman
    is a bit older than me.
    *Jane pops her head in the door* He’s ancient, Kat. At least
    twenty years older than me!
    *Kat waves her off* Yes, yes. He’s older, but as I tell Jane
    in the book there’s something to be said about a man that works the telegraph. They’ve
    got some strong fingers. *Kat winks*
    Oh, yes, so he runs the depot and the telegraph office. I can’t
    explain why I fell for him, he seems to be a grumpy old man, but I just do. He’s
    a good man.
    What do you think is your strongest point?
    I’m strong. Stronger than you might think. I may have grown up
    in privilege, but once mother disowned me for leaving town I had to make my own
    way. I’ve made mistakes, but I don’t regret any of them. Not even a little.
    What was it like where you grew up?
    Dominion
    Falls is a great little town.
    When we first went there when I was quite young, there was nothing. Father first
    formed a little camp when he found the gold. Father had vision and started that
    town using the first of his gold strikes. More men came in, and Father was smart
    enough to charge to use the buildings he was having built, and then use that money
    to buy mines from the less successful miners.
    So I got to see Dominion
    Falls go from small camp to
    a tiny town. Sure, it was dirty and rough and miners aren’t the nicest people sometimes,
    but Father and Mother always pushed for more than that. The used their wealth to
    make sure I got educated in Denver, and eventually
    moved there themselves, but no matter how much time I’ve been away, Dominion Falls is home.
    What do you wish was different about your life?
    Up until I came home and met Jane I had one big wish to move
    back home. I’m grateful that I have a good friend now, one like Jane, that pushes
    me to do what I need to, what I know I’ve needed to do. It’s not an easy step for
    me, but you’ll have to read the book to find out why.
    If you were given your fondest wish, what would it be?
    I’m afraid I can’t answer that one, either. My author doesn’t
    want me to reveal secrets before their time.
    *Kat leans in to whisper* But I have to say I get all I wish
    for and all I didn’t know I wanted within a year of returning home.
    As a child, who was your best friend? Tell us about him/her.
    I didn’t really have many friends as a child. Being the Daugherty’s
    daughter and sent to Denver
    for schooling made it hard to establish friends. I was too rich in Dominion Falls,
    and too poor in Denver
    society.
    I’m happy to say that now, finally, I do have a best friend.
    Jane. I couldn’t ask for someone better. Sometimes you meet someone and instantly
    connect, and I had that with Jane. I think she hates that I’m brutally honest with
    her, but she’s no shirk either, gives me the same honesty right back.

    About the Author

    Sarah Cass’s world is regularly turned upside down by her three
    special-needs kids and loving mate, so she breaks genre barriers, dabbling in horror,
    straight fiction, and urban fantasy. An ADD tendency leaves her with a variety of
    interests that include singing, dancing, crafting, cooking, and being a photographer.
    She fights through the struggles of the day, knowing the battles are her crucible
    and though she may emerge scarred, she’s also stronger. While busy creating worlds
    and characters as real to her as her own family, she leads an active online life
    with her blog, Redefining Perfect, which
    gives a real and sometimes raw glimpses into her life and art.

    Previous Books

    Changing Tracks (The Dominion Falls
    Series Book 1):
    Secret Cravings Website http://bit.ly/14XQPTl
    Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/XcTs0R
    All Romance Ebooks http://bit.ly/WJxSiA
    Bookstrand http://bit.ly/12dl2PB

    Books Coming Soon

    Dark Territory (The Dominion Falls
    Series Book 3)
    Santa, Maybe (Holidays in Lake Point 1)

    Contest

    A free ebook copy of Derailed (or Changing Tracks if you haven’t
    read it, because you really should start with book 1) for one commenter!!
    To enter: Just tell me what your favorite Western is (movie,
    TV show, OR book!).

    Find Me Here

    Redefining Perfect http://redefiningperfect.com
    Sarah’s StoryLines http://authorsarahcass.com