• Author Interviews,  Contemporary

    Mainstream: Celtic Destinies @kissastarling #RLFblog

    Clarissa: Celtic Destinies

    Kissa Starling, welcome
    to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s talk about your book, Clarissa: Book One in the
    Celtic Destinies Series.

    Genre: Mainstream
    Publisher: Red Rose
    Publishing
    Cover artist: Shirley
    Burnett
    Length: 31,676
    Heat rating: Sensual
    Tagline: Reuniting ghost
    lovers proves to be the easy task. How will she ever find her own true destiny?
    Blurb:
    Clarissa has traveled
    halfway around the world to Scotland
    hoping to escape her sordid past and begin anew. What she finds is two unruly children,
    a single father who travels, a elderly cook and a couple of ghosts who demand to
    be reunited. It’s hard to figure out who plans to give her the most trouble- the
    children or the ghost of a kind long since passed. Will it all be worth it in the
    end and what must Clarissa do to obtain her own happiness?
    Buy links:
    What are your main characters’ names, ages, and
    occupations?
    Clarissa Randolph is
    an ex-stripper turned nanny. She is in her late twenties.
    William Kirkland is
    in his late thirties. He is a business man and lord of his castle. He has recently
    become Clarissa’s boss since she is nanny to his two children, Gregory and Sally.

    Interview

    Tell us about your story’s
    world. What is it like in this period or place?
    Scotland
    is the setting and one I love oh so much. I am really into genealogy and a few years
    ago I went all the way back to the 1600’s for both my family and my husband’s. His
    family is from Scotland and part
    of mine from Ireland.
    We both love anything medieval. I can only imagine going there one day and seeing
    the castles, moors and hills where our ancestors loved, laughed and played.
    Which character in your
    current book do you think readers will like the most? Why?
    I believe it may be Daisy. She is the master’s cook/housekeeper.
    She isn’t a main character in this book, but she will appear in all of the series
    books. She’s eccentric and different and she may possibly have a story of her own
    one day!
    Why do you write?
    It’s the only way I’ve found to effectively get the voices out
    of my head. Ha, ha. I am partially kidding. The characters do talk to me once I
    begin their stories. I had one character invade my dreams for several nights until
    I understood she didn’t want her sexual business out there for the whole world to
    see. She wasn’t that type of girl! I rewrote a few scenes and the result worked
    perfectly. Now I’m more apt to listen when they talk.
    When you’re not writing,
    what would we find you doing?
    I love to be outdoors. My dog loves it too so we do a lot of
    walking. Usually we let my husband come along too. I go to the movies a lot, drive-ins
    are my favorite. There’s nothing like tailgating and then watching them slip the
    film onto those huge reels. (They let me come in and watch.) I love driving down
    roads when I don’t know where they go. I find the best shortcuts that way. If my
    day includes reading, writing, spending time with the hubby and cuddling with my
    cat it’s a good day.
    What other jobs have you
    held besides writing?
    I have to laugh at this question because answering what jobs
    I haven’t held would be easier. Let’s see how many I can remember- cashier at a
    children’s clothing store, cashier at the mall, waitress, hostess, cook, dishwasher,
    worked at a truck stop, cashier at a convenient store, gas attendant, babysitter,
    telemarketer for carpet, magazines and donations, housekeeper at a motel, custodian,
    cafeteria worker, substitute teacher, afterschool teacher, tutor, maid, I pressed
    shirts and sewed on buttons at a drycleaner, I put together plastic car parts by
    the garbage bag full, assistant teacher, counselor, survey taker, house sitter,
    I transported people to doctor’s appointments, I sold Mary Kay for a few years,
    and I remember several lemonade stands along the way!
    What are you currently
    reading for fun? Anything for research?
    I love research! Love it, love it. I often find myself researching
    above and beyond my topic when I should have already started writing. When I wrote
    PS – I Love You, I spent hours watching videos of Woodstock. Oh, the music back then…. Right now
    I am into zombies and I’m reading a lot of zombie books. I collect cookbooks and
    always have one on the bedside table to be read. My research library is what some
    might say is extensive.
    What’s the best gift you
    ever received?
    This one is easy, a screen for my bedroom window. I enjoy leaving
    the windows open and sleeping with fresh air coming in, even in the winter. Alas
    my house has no screens on the windows. My husband went to Home Depot to buy me
    one and they told him they don’t make them in that size. One day I came home from
    work to find one screen on my bedroom windows and a smiling husband with many cuts
    on his hands. He spent the entire day making me a custom screen to fit. It melted
    my heart.
    If you could time travel
    what era would be your first stop?
    I would go into the future to 3000. I know a lot about my ancestors
    and things they did in the past and while I’d love to meet them in person I’d like
    to meet some of my descendants even more. What happens to my great, great grand-daughter?
    Is she the first female president? What is she driving? Eating? Doing for fun? Does
    she wonder about me? And most importantly, does she need my help? I love being there
    for family.
    I am continually working on learning to play the guitar. I have
    short arms so I use a child’s size guitar to learn on. My father can play anything
    with strings and I am so jealous because I love music. He is teaching me. We’ve
    started over several times. I tend to quit when my fingers get sore. I’ll get there.
    Banjos are so cool.
    Experience the many sides of Kissa Starling

    Please complete the sentence

    I love pizza with everything except anchovies
    (which I’ve never attempted to eat!) Onions and sausage are my favorite.
    I’m always ready for a road trip.
    When I’m alone, I wonder where everyone is.
    You’d never be able to tell, but I was born
    up north. My deep southern accent masks it.
    If I had a halo it
    would be sparkly with ribbons hanging down.
    If I could speak Spanish fluently I’d
    go live in South America for a while.
    I can never stop buying books because
    well, I’d die!

    Previous Books

    The Lifestyle Series:
    Robert’s Story
    Chalan’s Story
    Rick’s Story
    Carl’s Story
    Aidan’s Story
    Swing Pointe
    Goldi
    All I Ever Wanted
    Toy Box
    The Untrained Housewife
    Angel’s Wish
    Candy Kisses
    Sweet Kisses & Lesbian Wishes
    Profiling
    Cracker Cowgirl
    I have several short stories in print anthologies
    as well.
    I also have a few books out by my alter ego K.
    Starling who only writes sweet romance.
    Kismet
    The Last Waltz
    I Should Have Kissed You
    Sweet Tea Maggie

    Books Coming Soon

    I have a short story, Pinky, coming in the Serving
    Him anthology from Cleis Press in March. http://amzn.com/1573449253/
    Luciano’s Story, book 6 in the Lifestyle Series,
    will be released this year at Red Rose Publishing- http://redrosepublishing.com/books/product_info.php?products_id=1296
    Classical Rules has been contracted by Sapphire
    Publishing and is set to be released in the Uniforms Optional anthology sometime
    this spring. I don’t have a link for that one yet.
    I plan on submitting several more short stories
    this year and I’m working on a full length novel as well. (my first!!!)
    Contest
    I’d love to give away a pdf copy of Clarissa
    to one lucky reader.
    Find Me Here
    Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/kissastarling