Interview with Suspense Romance Author Charissa Stastny

Charissa Stastny hails from Las Vegas, Nevada, but has never pulled the handle of a slot machine and can’t shuffle cards to save her life. She envisioned herself as an author since 4^th grade when she wrote the creative work, The Creature from McGool, and went on in shame to pen some cheesy romance scenes as a teenager. Now she has matured somewhat and is a member of the Idaho Writer’s Guild and tries hard not to spread too much cheese around in her writing. She resides in Idaho’s Treasure Valley with her family, where shuffling isn’t required. Thank goodness!

Welcome to my blog, Charissa. Where did you get your inspiration for the Bending Willow Trilogy?

My muse for this story started with a creative writing assignment and a door-to-door art salesperson. An Israeli girl named Suvi with a nose ring and a vivacious personality knocked, charmed me into buying one of her oil paintings, and then talked to my daughters and me for an hour. After she left, an idea for my short story began to form. As I wrote my imagined story for Suvi, I hoped to make my daughters aware of hidden secrets people carry so that they would be more merciful in their judgment of others. We never know what awful circumstances and experiences have led someone to act in certain ways. There are religious undertones in this story, but it’s not preachy because I knew my daughters would toss it aside if they thought mom was trying to get one over on them. 

What is book one about: Eyes of Light?

This series follows three characters through several harrowing years. In Vol. 1, Suvi Goldstein tries to escape her past, but falls for a man with secrets as deadly as her own. Torn between violent men in one world and a forgiving man in another, she must fight her way out of darkness to find redemption. James Hinton is Suvi’s opposite—a clean-cut, returned missionary who seems like the classic Boy Scout. Austan Sandoval is an ex-NCS operative who Suvi believes died when she was in high school. He’s gone deep undercover, but still secretly watches over and protects her from brutal forces bent on her destruction. 

Tell us about book two: Secret Keepers.

This book delves deeper into Suvi’s horrific past and exposes damaging secrets she has locked away for years. Though she has begun healing, she still struggles with self-worth after what she has endured. As the past clashes with the present, she flees to Israel to lead danger away from the man she loves. There she seeks her estranged father’s help. But when she disappears without a trace, Austan and James will do anything to find the woman they both love. From Idaho to Israel, and with madmen, ruthless drug cartels, and Mossad assassins as key forces, the fight for light continues in a battle where lives, love and freedom are at stake.

When you fall in love with your characters, it is hard to leave a series as you write the last book. Please tell us what the third book, Hands of Mercy, is about.

This is hard to do without giving away too much. Let me just say that two of our characters are finally married in this book, but marriage doesn’t automatically mean happily ever after…no matter what fairy tales portray. As our celebrated couple struggle with the mundane in their marriage, malevolent forces beyond their control cause hell to erupt. Suvi, Austan, and James must struggle to survive as separation, death, guilt, and revenge rip them apart and scatter their broken hearts and bodies over the battlefield of life until unseen Hands of Mercy save them. Whew! How’s that? 

Very good description, Charissa. Who is one of your favorite characters in this series and what do you love about him or her?

I adore all my characters, but Austan’s probably my favorite to write. He makes me run the gamut of emotions—one minute he has me laughing so hard my side hurts; the next I want to weep for all his troubles; but then I turn the page and want to smack him for being such an arrogant pig. If you’d like to read an interview with him, go HERE. 

Haha! That is such a great way of describing your own character. Love it! Here are a few links to visit Charissa and her sites.

·        Website – http://www.charissastastny.com

·        Facebook 

·       You may purchase these books here: Eyes of Light, Secret Keepers, Hands of Mercy

Interview with Romance Author Paige Timothy

Paige Timothy is the author of soon-to-be five romance novels in the Main Street Merchants series as part of the Sweet and Clean Romance Collection by Trifecta Books. Under another name, she’s written twenty-five other books in every genre from historical fiction to cozy mystery. She lives along the Wasatch Front with her husband, four children, and very spoiled little dog.

Welcome to my blog, Paige. Writing romance is a new genre for you. Where did you get your inspiration for this series?

Romance is new to me, definitely, although my other books have elements of romance in them. I just wanted to give something new a try, and to see about catching the wave that is sweet romance. It’s been a lot of fun. I get to do a lot of bantering between my characters, which is one of my favorite things to write.

Please give us a short synopsis of book one: And Something Blue.

Each of the books in this series takes place in one of the businesses along Main Street in the fictional town of Aspen Ridge, Colorado. In And Something Blue, we meet Laurie, who works at the bridal shop. She deals with temperamental brides and their equally temperamental mothers all day long, but in this story, it’s the brother she has to deal with. Sparks do fly.

Tell us about book two: For Love or Money.

Laurie’s roommate Morgan works at the bank, and hangs out with her best friend and fellow bank teller, Rory. When Rory’s grandmother falls ill, he goes home to South Dakota to be there for his family, and Morgan realizes that maybe he’s just a little bit more than a friend.

Now we want to learn about book three: Five Golden Rings.

Cara is the third roommate in this apartment, and she works at the jewelry store. She’s always loved singing and writing her own music, but she’s crippled by insecurity. She believes that she’ll never be good enough to perform for anyone but herself, but her life takes some amazing and unexpected twists and turns, and she learns that she’s so much more than she ever thought.

Please tell us about book four: Just Desserts.

Now we go across Main Street to D’Angelo’s Bakery, which is managed by Quinn. Mr. D’Angelo’s health has been poor for years, and Quinn spends all her time taking care of the bakery. So much time, in fact, that she doesn’t have much time for anything else. When a construction worker shows up to take her cake decorating class, she has to learn to put her critical nature aside and see past the scruffy beard and steel-toed boots to the person inside.

The fifth book in this series is now available. Please tell us about Between the Lines.

Between the Lines is about Regan, the fourth roommate in Laurie’s apartment. She works at the bookstore, and she’s decided that the only good romances are the ones that take place in fiction. She’s never had a real romance of her own, and while she’s happy that all her roommates have found love, she doesn’t think it will ever happen to her. But then she gets swept off her feet and up a mountain, where she learns in a moment of crisis that heroes are actually real.

Thank you for being a guest on my blog, Paige. I hope you visit again. You can learn more about her at www.paigetimothy.com.

Interview with Romantic/Comedy Author Brooke Williams

Brooke Williams is a former radio announcer turned stay at home mom/freelance writer/author. She has two daughters and has been married since 2002. Brooke has written numerous novels including “Someone Always Loved You,” “Beyond the Bars,” and the recent romantic comedy “Wrong Place, Right Time.” She looks forward to releasing “Mamarazzi” in August and her first children’s book “Baby Sheep Gets a Haircut” in February 2016.

“Accept This Dandelion is a humorous romance, full of amusing and witty narratives. The author not only wrote a sweet love story, but the humor she added made this story delightful. I was chuckling and even laughing out loud at times because it was hard to keep quiet. When Renee decides to be on a dating show, everything seems to go wrong in each interview, but Ben thinks she’s fun and charming despite her foibles. The author has developed the characters so well that I fell in love with them. This is a story that would be fun to read over again.” –Review by Author Linda Weaver Clarke

Welcome to my blog, Brooke. Please tell us about your novel, Accept This Dandelion.

Thanks so much for having me today! It’s an honor! This book is about a radio announcer named Renee Lockhart. She wants to move up at work and get a position on the Morning Show, but her boss doesn’t think her public image is large enough. Her co-worker signs her up to try out for the localized version of “The Bachelor” TV show…in part to help her heighten her public image and also to help her get a date! When Renee lands on the show, she has low expectations for the outcome…and let me tell you, nothing goes right for this girl! Talk about a date gone bad! Again and again! We get to see all of her dating disasters and groan right alongside her as they turn from bad to worse…on TV, no less!

Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

I enjoy “The Bachelor” TV show and I have to say, my favorite part are the bloopers and outtakes they show at the end sometimes. The show, to me, is an escape from everyday life. It puts a smile on my face and it’s the only show I follow on a regular basis. So it really inspired the book because the book is about a localized version of the dating show. Probably some of my own bad dates inspired it as well, but I never did anything quite the way Renee does! I also gave Renee a job very similar to what I used to do in radio. I’ve heard it’s best to write what you know and I was in radio for a decade so I know how that world works. Most of all, the story came to me and I was inspired by the idea itself!

That is hilarious. I love hearing how a story comes about. What kind of research did you have to do?

Just watching TV and going on bad dates! Ha. I don’t often research. I prefer to make things up. Hence the reason I’m a fiction author and not a journalist. I had enough of a background in both radio and TV to pull this book off without any research. That isn’t the case for ALL of my books. Mamarazzi, for example, is based largely in and around LA, a place I’ve only ever visited once. Some books take more and some, I just make it up! J

Hey! If it works, that’s all that matters. Haha. Please tell us about the main character in this story and what you love about him or her.

Renee Lockhart is a hot mess, but she’s a real girl and someone I felt like I could really relate to. She’s not a size 0. She’s a normal, average American woman! She doesn’t care about hair and make-up or what she’s wearing either. She wants people to see her for who she is. She is ambitious and wants to work her way to the top in her job, but her reason for wanting to be on top is sweet…she simply wants to be able to help more people with her station at the top of the totem pole. But she’s also pretty set in her ways and stubborn. She has her ideas about people and her opinions on how things should be, whether she’s right or not! She also seems to be a natural born klutz…at least when it comes to dates! The things that happen to this poor girl on the local TV show…!!

I absolutely loved Renee. She had me laughing quite a bit. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

I only cut my hair once every two years. IT used to be once a year, but I’ve cut back. Ha. I like my hair longer in the summer and shorter in the winter, strangely enough. In the summer, long is good because you can put it up in a variety of ways. In the winter, I don’t want it up so down is best! But the real reason I grow it and cut it is to donate what is cut for a wig for someone who has cancer. I’ve probably cut it 5-6 times by now.

That’s so interesting. I love learning things like this about the authors I interview. Thank you very much for this wonderful interview.

Young Adult Fantasy Medieval Romance by Anna Del C. Dye

Anna Del C. Dye was born in the extreme South along some famous beaches. She grew up with four other siblings, being placed in the middle. Anna moved to the USA to marry her husband Rodney, and has resided in Utah since then. Her husband, a native of Idaho, met her in her hometown. They fell in love and she came to Utah on Christmas Eve to be married two weeks later. They are the parents of three princes and a princess.

Early on in her life she showed an affinity for sewing and took classes that have rewarded her with the opportunities of doing the costuming for the cast of four musicals, and Utah’s own Fantasy Con, which she enjoyed immensely. She is fluent in both English and Spanish.

Have you ever wondered who your “soul mate” is or if you even had one? Anna’s book is exactly about that. This is what her new fantasy is about.

Freedom to Choose is Paramount for any human. An arrangement made when Elizabeth was just a babe ties her to someone she has never met, never spoken to, never loved. Now she desires freedom—a way to choose her own path—her own husband. The moment Elizabeth meets Patrick she knows he is her soul mate. But when you are bound to a crown how is any choice your own?

Here is a snippet from Once Upon Two Kingdoms for you to read:

“People should be free to choose, once they are old enough to know what they want, and can take responsibility for their choices,” I whispered, watching my little baby, asleep so peaceful in contrast to the rage that brewed in me.

“How could your father condemn you this way while forcing me to stand by, unable to do anything but despair? I know he felt wretched. That doesn’t help the pain in my soul. I begged him on my knees, but it was no use. Your path in life was sealed and no human could break it asunder. All I could do was leave the sad scene, crying miserably with you in my arms. Still, I am not alone in my misery. Oh, Elizabeth, I tried my child, I tried to protect you and I have failed you…”

If this excerpt hasn’t intrigued you, I would be surprised. You can find out more about Anna and her books at http://www.annadelc.com.

Some of Anna’s writing recognitions:

She received the Editor’s Choice Award from the International Library of Poetry and had her article entitled A New American Mother published by Desert Saints Magazine. Her short story entitled Amerine—Fairy Princess won an award in a League of Utah Writers contest later to be published by Kalkion Magazine. (Now it has been published as an e-book.) Other articles about family and relationship have been published frequently in the MOMS CLUB of Salt Lake Valley-West. She has published 7 books on her Elf series. Rodney’s and her love story was published by Deseret book in the anthology entitled Angels Round About compiled by July C. Olsen. Another of her articles was included in the Anthology Mother’s Message in a Bottle, edited by Tyler Hayden and published by Nimbus Publishing.