Aloha to Freya North - British author of women's fiction

Back in January, I spotlighted Freya North and SECRETS at this link.   Freya and I traded emails for an interview but the Cyber Monster ate it!   Today Freya joins us for a cozy chat ....

Kim:  Tell about where you live - your favorite sight, sound, and smell. 

Freya:  I live in rural Hertfordshire - up a tiny lane about a mile from my lovely local village of Little Berkhamsted (where my children and I always take roles in the Christmas Panto... this year I was The Virgin... last year I was Aladdin...goodness knows what's in store for me next time!!) We live on a small farm - with horses and woods. My favourite sight would have to be from my bedroom window - the garden (basically a meadow) with the new trees I've planted (cherry, rowan and silver birch) which rolls out to the paddocks with the horses grazing calmly. My favourite sound would be the whoops and giggles of my two children, Felix (10) and Georgia (9) as they belt around the garden, chased no doubt by Twiggy, our dog. My favourite smell is woodsmoke - we have hornbeam woods here which is a wonderful wood which burns very slowly and very hot. Well, either woodsmoke or Chanel Cristalle eau de toilette...! 

hertfordshire.greatbritishlife.co.uk

Kim:  I enjoyed reading your "timeline" bio (at this link) - what inspired your belief in yourself as a writer?

Freya:  I simply felt it was the only thing I COULD do... I'd have been rubbish in any stressy career like law and I'd never have coped with the office politics in advertising or media. I can't add up, to save my life - so I'd've been useless in anything where maths was involved... I was always told off at school for daydreaming - but that's what I loved to do. And then I discovered how much fun it was to write the daydreams into stories... and though it took four years of publishers and agents rejecting my work, finally my first novel "Sally" was published in 1996. This year, my 12th novel, "Rumours" is to be published in June! 

Kim:  I enjoy your books because they give me a glimpse of British culture that is very distinct from Europe and America. What is your favorite "British" ritual?

Freya:  Every January I hold a 'wassail' here at my orchard. The word itself means 'be you well' and it is a very ancient ritual to bless the fruit trees and to thank them for last year's harvest. At dusk, we (my family and friends) take candlelit lanterns to the orchard. The children scamper around tapping the trees to 'wake them up' (this naturally coincides with the sap rising). The children give each tree a drink of apple juice to encourage healthy fruiting, then they sprinkle cake crumbs around for the woodland spirits. We hang toast in the branches for the robins - which symbolize the good spirits of the wood. Then we say a little poem of thanks. After this, we make a huge noise (horns, pots and pans, whistles!) to 'scare off' the bad spirits. Finally, we light fireworks. Best of all, we then go inside and drink hot spiced cider!

A fan of Freya in Saltburn
saltburn-by-the-sea.blogspot.com

Kim:  SECRETS is just gorgeous in its descriptions of Satlburn-by-the-sea.   I could move into Resolution (the house) myself! What inspired the locale, the romance, the hero, and the heroine?

Freya:  It is an area of the world I know very well - but doesn't get much publicity because most people go to the west of Yorkshire, not the east coast. I love it because the landscape is staggeringly beautiful - incredible cliffs, stunning valleys, wide open beaches, wild moors, cute little villages... but the whole area is also very down-to-earth and not dressed up for the tourists. The people have a great sense of humour and the stunning natural landscape neighbours some areas that were once the heart of the industrial revolution. So, although the cities are grey and a bit forlorn now, there's still so much history in the area. Plus I'm crazy about bridges - and the hundred year old Transporter Bridge in Middlesbrough is iconic and one of only a handful still standing worldwide. I feel at ease with the people, and at one with the landscape... 

Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge

Kim:  What's next for Freya North?

Freya:  Since Secrets was published, I wrote and published Chances - which was written at a very difficult time in my life. I'd become, reluctantly, a single parent. My mum was fighting cancer and I'd moved with my kids from the city to the countryside. Writing that book was quite a journey for me - but it is unapologetically romantic (and saucy!!) and has a good old fashioned happy-ever-after! The story features Vita and Oliver - (a shop keeper and a tree surgeon) both of whom have been dealt harsh blows by past love. But they are brought together by a shoplifter and a pear tree and they explore whether they're brave enough to give love another chance.... 

I've just finished another novel, Rumours (great title, hey?) which focuses on the lives and loves in the fictitious village of Long Dansbury - so if you like the quirky Englishness of my previous novels... you'll LOVE this one! The heroine is Stella and the hero (he's yummy) is Xander. Lots of twists and turns, lots of spice - and lots of love!

Mahalo, Freya, for joining us at SOS Aloha!   Sourcebooks has published two of Freya's books in the US - SECRETS and PILLOW TALK (at this link).   I hope Sourcebooks publishes more in the future!    In honor of Freya's visit, I am giving away a "British culture" gift pack to one randomly selected commenter (remember, my mother is British!)  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about British culture - what do you love or loathe about it?

My husband loves Monty Python - I think it is silly.   Then again, I love Downton Abbey (which he probably thinks is silly).

2.  This giveaway is open to readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, February 25, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll publish the winner on Sunday, February 26.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

To learn more about Freya and her books, check out her website at www.freyanorth.com.

Downton Abbey

Aloha to Samantha Grace and MISS HILLARY SCHOOLS A SCOUNDREL

"Gravitation can not be held responsible for people falling in love." - Albert Einstein

Today I spotlight debut author Samantha Grace as she takes us to Regency England with MISS HILLARY SCHOOLS A SCOUNDREL:

There’s no taming the wicked. Jaded heiress Lana Hillary learned this lesson the hard way when the dashing man of her dreams turned out to be a lying scoundrel. With two Seasons behind her and the memory of his betrayal still fresh in her mind, Lana seeks a match with a respectable gent. But why must they all be so properly boring? Unable to rein in her bold nature for long, Lana flirts with trouble and finds herself entangled with the exact type of man she’s vowed to avoid.

Love ‘em-and- leave ‘em Lord Andrew Forest lives for pleasure and offers no apologies. But he receives a dose of his own medicine when his family’s innocent houseguest beds him then disappears without a by your leave. Rejected by the most captivating woman in England, Drew is determined to intercept Lana Hillary before she reaches London and convince her to marry him. Then he’ll teach the little vixen a thing or two about how to love a man.

Edmund Blair Leighton's SIGNING THE REGISTRY

Grace delivers a humorous story of falling in love while navigating (or circumventing) the marriage mart, house parties, family interference, and Mother Nature.   Perhaps Grace draws from her own experience:

With a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Social Work degree, Samantha has worked several years as a clinical social worker with a background in behavioral health and geriatrics. It is her belief that everyone has a story worth remembering, and she cherishes her work with aging adults, immersing herself in their tales of eras gone by.

HEA for all!

I am giving away a print copy of MISS HILLARY SCHOOLS A SCOUNDREL to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about what pleasure you seek this weekend (in this US, it is a long weekend with President's Day).

My family plans to hike from the North Shore to Ka'ena Point!

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, February 18, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winners on Sunday, February 19.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

To learn more about Samantha Grace, her books, and her characters' family trees, log onto her website at www.samanthagraceauthor.com.

Coming in June 2012

Aloha to Rosanne Bittner and WILDEST DREAMS

This weekend we are visiting the Kualoa Ranch - a working ranch with paniolos who corral the cattle, horses, ATVs, and tourists.   Today's guest, Rosanne Bittner, writes about paniolos and ranches on the mainland.  Her tag line is "Heart of the West."  Rosanne is celebrating the February 2012 reissue of WILDEST DREAMS in print and ebook from Sourcebooks.

Kim:  What is your favorite sight, sound, and smell from where you live?

Rosanne:  I am grateful for your interest and was surprised that the first question was about my home area, southwest Michigan (midwest America surrounded by the Great Lakes). I have lived in Michigan and only about ten minutes from Lake Michigan my entire life. My small home town of Coloma is located near an inland lake called Big Paw Paw Lake, where many tourists come in the summer, most from Chicago, Illinois, only about 1 1/2 hours away. We own property on Little Paw Paw Lake, so I have lived around lakes all my life.

Sunset over Big Paw Paw Lake

My favorite sight here in Michigan would, of course, be the beautiful sandy beaches of Lake Michigan, which is so big that if you didn't know better you would think you were looking at the ocean. In summer you smell beaches and pine trees, in fall you smell autumn leaves and the pungent smoke from raked, burning leaves. In winter there is a crisp cold to the air and usually a lot of snow, especially what they call "lake affect" snow, created by cold air moving over warm waters. In the spring birds abound, and in my area you can smell the blossoms of peaches and apples.

Kirk Park, Lake Michigan

Although I love Michigan, deep in my heart I am also in love with America's western landscape, the high plains, the Rocky Mountains, the lush prairie farms. The American West of the 1800's and Native Americans are all I have ever written about for the past 30 years, with 57 books in print. All who read my work know that I am a big fan of TV westerns and western movies, and, of course, GUNSMOKE. I was asked which is my favorite episode of GUNSMOKE, and I guess it would have to be the one where Matt Dillon is seriously wounded by a gunshot and is expected to die. In that episode the love Miss Kitty has for Matt shines through when you see the agony on her face at thinking Matt will die. I always found the rather secret love story behind these two characters interesting in that the producers of the show never blatantly came out and showed Matt and Kitty together in private. You just knew there was "something going on" between them, and at times I found it frustrating that they never showed these two people kiss or embrace. Even so, viewers all knew the truth, and I suppose producers chose to let our imaginations see Matt and Kitty's relationship however we wanted to see it.

Matt Dillon and Miss Kitty

Kim:  You refer to Clint Eastwood Westerns on your website.  What is your favorite?

Rosanne:  A tough decision! I would say it is a toss-up between PALE RIDER and THE GUNS OF JOSIE WALES.   I love the "take no crap" western hero who knows how to handle himself, and that type of character is the most fun to write about. The men in my books are just such characters.

Pale Rider

Kim:  Your books have been translated in several European countries.  Why do American Westerns appeal to European readers?

Rosanne:  I really am not sure, other than people often find the history of some other country fascinating. I think it might be partly because America is still relatively young compared to Europe, and we are still rather rough and unrefined and free in a way most European countries will never be free.

The rugged, independent American cowboy seems to represent the American spirit in all of us. My books are very popular in France, where I've sold the most titles, but I have also been published in Russia, Taiwan, Italy, Norway, Great Britain and Germany.

My February book, WILDEST DREAMS, depicts all that is so fascinating about settling an untamed American West. Luke and Lettie McBride settle in the wilds of Montana and build a cattle ranching empire there amid the dangers of outlaws, Indians, tragedy and the elements of severe summers and winters. It is the great love these two share that holds them together through tragedy and triumph. It's a wonderful love story.


Learn more about WILDEST DREAMS and my 57 other books (and my new projects) by visiting my web site at www.rosannebittner.com.   Thanks so much for your interest in my writing! Rosanne Bittner.

Mahalo, Rosanne, for joining us at SOS Aloha!  I am giving away a print copy of WILDEST DREAMS to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about cowboys, ranches, and horses - do you know a cowboy?  Have you visited a ranch?  Have you ridden a horse?

I have a cousin in Mississippi who is a "cowboy" - he owns a cattle ranch and a house full of "rodeo" ribbons!  I probably rode a horse when I was a child (when the ranch belonged to his father).   I remember when my uncle would take the gaggle of cousins to the turkey pen to "pick out" Thanksgiving dinner.  An hour later, Turkey was served .... so I'm sure it was not the one we picked!

2.  This giveaway is  open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, February 18, 10 pm in Hawaii.   I'll post the winner on  Sunday, February 19.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

Cowboy with a Ukelele - Hawaii's most famous paniolo
falsetto singer and storyteller, Clyde "Kindy" Sproat

Aloha to Heather Snow and SWEET ENEMY

On this date in 1879, President Hayes signed a bill allowing female attorneys to argue cases before the Supreme Court.   It was a baby step for women's rights.  Liliana Claremont, the heroine from SWEET ENEMY, would appreciate this baby step while encouraging more, especially for women scientists:


A Veiled Seduction Novel ~ Book One

Geoffrey Wentworth, a war hero and rising political star, never wanted to be the Earl, but when his brother dies, he knows his duty—take up the responsibility for his family’s estates. His mother’s definition of duty differs from his, however, and can be summed up in one word—heirs. When Geoffrey rushes home to answer her urgent summons, he finds himself host to a house full of women, all vying to become the next Countess of Stratford. But his love is Parliament, where he wields his influence and reputation to better the lives of ex-soldiers, until a tempting houseguest and a secret from his past threaten his freedom…and his heart.

Liliana Claremont, a brilliant chemist, doesn’t want to be any man’s wife, much less a Countess. If she had tuppence for every time she’d been told her place was filling the nursery, not experimenting in the laboratory, she could buy the Tower Bridge. However, when she receives a coveted invitation to the Earl’s house party, she trades in her beakers for ball gowns and gladly takes on the guise of husband hunter—for the chance to uncover what the Earl had to do with the murder of her father.

Liliana believes the best way to get the answers she needs is to keep her enemy close, though romance is not part of her formula. But it only takes one kiss to start a reaction she can't control...

SWEET ENENY is a fresh voice in historical romance .... I am taking my sweet time in savoring this book!   Let's meet Liliana's creator, Heather Snow:


Heather Snow is a historical romance author with a degree in Chemistry who discovered she much preferred creating chemistry on the page, rather than in the lab. She is forever trying to wrangle her left and right brain to work together (some days with more success than others!), but if her two sides had to duke it out, left would win every time—which can be a creative challenge. Luckily, she loves challenges…she just goes about solving them analytically.

Kim:  Inquiring minds are curious where you live - can you share your favorite sight, sound, and smell?

Heather:  No where nearly as beautiful as Hawaii! But, the Kansas City area is wonderful in its own right. Dubbed the “City of Fountains”, there are over 200 water features dotted all over the city. My favorite is located in the center of the city, near the Country Club Plaza (a quaint shopping area designed in the 1920’s in the Spanish style). This fountain was sculpted in Paris and installed in a grand estate in New York in 1910. The estate burned in 1938 and in the late 1950’s , the fountain was sold for salvage and purchased by a wealthy Kansas Citian, who had it installed as a Memorial Fountain. One of the main reasons I love this fountain is that on any given lovely day, you see beautiful beaming brides being photographed in front of it… 

Another is that my Nana and I spent many lovely Midwest evenings walking this park, rewarding ourselves with a peaceful rest near the fountain when we were through. I LOVE the sound of water.

A favorite sight in my city is the Downtown Public Library, and it’s fabulous parking garage! How could a book lover NOT love this?

And a favorite smell? Well, these days I’m an old married mom of two and live in suburbia, but in my younger days, my husband and I lived downtown in a high-rise not far from the library. Also not far from our old building is a Folger’s factory, so every morning, the downtown area smells like burnt coffee… I miss it! 

Kim:   I appreciate the correlation between chemistry and writing. When you studied chemistry, what did you plan to do with it?

Heather:  I actually spent three years in medical school before I decided that it wasn’t for me. 

Pierre and Marie Curie

Kim:  Obviously your stories have the right chemistry as your debut book is stunning in blue with a coveted cover quote. How did you transform from chemist to author?

Heather:  I’ve always been an avid reader, but never really thought about writing seriously until my early 30’s. I’d taken a break from my career so we could start a family, but my timing and God’s wasn’t the same! As I had new time on my hands while I waited for baby news, I decided to have a go at telling my own stories. I expected it would take me several years to get published, ideally about the time my not-yet-then-born children would be starting school. But remember what I said about God’s timing? Well, He laughed heartily at me when he sent The Heir, followed by a contract for my first ever completed manuscript, followed up by the Spare while on deadline for book two. That God…what a kidder. 

Kim:  Tell us about your new series and new book - what inspired them? Can you share a tidbit you learned during research? 

Heather:  Thanks for asking! SWEET ENEMY is the first in the Veiled Seduction series, each featuring an independent, science-savvy heroine with a mystery to be solved.  I was inspired to write SWEET ENEMY when I attended an interesting museum exhibit detailing an event that occurred during the Regency period (Sorry to be so vague, but I don’t want to say what exhibit, lest I give away part of the mystery! It is explained in the author’s note when you finish the book). However, I can say that scientists were involved, which started a “What if?” in my mind. I then started to create characters that would fit the story idea I now had, and Liliana, my lady chemist was born.

I am a mystery fan, as well, so naturally, my “what if” involved a mystery. But I also loved the idea of science-savvy heroines…I started to imagine all kinds of mysteries they could solve, and that’s how the Veiled Seduction series got its start. But don’t worry if science was never your thing! While my heroines’ interesting passions form who they are as characters and play a part in the mystery to be solved or how they go about solving them, the series is definitely historical romance, and the stories are highly emotional, with each heroine meeting the only hero that can complete them.

So many things writers learn during research never get the chance to make it into the book. While researching what Liliana would have known as a chemist in 1817, I learned a ton about debunked sciences of the time…but I won’t bore you with all of that! 

Marie Curie in her laboratory

Kim:  What's next for Heather Snow?

Heather:  I am SO excited about the next book in the series, SWEET DECEPTION, coming August 7. Emma is sort of a Regency-era Temperance Brennan from the TV show, Bones, who gets mixed up with the equivalent of a Regency-era James Bond. There’s a bit of treason, a bit of murder, and a faboo tag line: “But when deception, however sweet, is the name of the game no one can be trusted, and every love—and every life—is at risk.”

The third, tentatively titled SWEET MADNESS, should be out in early 2013. After that? Not sure…I tend to focus on the book at the time, but there IS a character from SWEET ENEMY that is whispering in my ear that she might like a story of her own…

Mahalo, Heather, for joining us at SOS Aloha!   As I mentioned above, I am savoring SWEET ENEMY.  When I am finished, Mary Gramlich and I will host a "dueling" chat about the book.  You can check out Mary's review at this link.  I am giving away a print copy of SWEET ENEMY to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about a school subject in which you excelled.  I had the ability to excel in Math, but it bored me.  I wish I paid more attention to history class as it now interests me.

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, February 18, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, February 19.

Mahalo,


Kim in Hawaii


To learn more about Heather, visit her website at www.HeatherSnowBooks.com, on Facebook at this link or on Twitter at this link or on Twitter on this link.  Sweet Enemy is available wherever books are sold and at these fine retailers: 


Rainy Day Books (Heather’s local Indie) 
Amazon (Kindle Edition)
Amazon (Paperback Edition)
Books-A-Million
Barnes and Noble
Indiebound
I-Book

Aloha to Shana Galen and THE ROGUE PIRATE'S BRIDE

Back in 2007, I attended the RT Booklovers' Convention in Houston.  I was so excited to be immersed in Romanceland! I attended the workshop for historical romances, captained by today's guest, Shana Galen.  I recall Kathe Robin, RT's senior historical reviewer, calling for more "high seas adventures" with pirates in exotic locales.  Ironically, Shana celebrates the release of THE ROGUE PIRATE'S BRIDE, the third book in her Sons of the Revolution Series.  From her bio,

Shana Galen is the author of five Regency historicals, including the Rita-nominated Blackthorne’s Bride. Her books have been sold in Brazil, Russia, and the Netherlands and featured in the Rhapsody and Doubleday Book Clubs. A former English teacher in Houston’s inner city, Shana now writes full time. She is a happily married wife and mother of a daughter and a spoiled cat and lives in Houston, Texas, where she is working on her next regency romance series! For more information please visit www.shanagalen.com, like her on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter. 

Kim:  Tell us about your corner in Texas - your favorite sight, sound, and smell. 

Shana:  First of all, thank you so much for inviting me to be here today, and on Valentine's Day, nonetheless! I hope everyone manages to inject some romance into their lives today.

I live in Houston, which is the fourth largest city in the United States. Houston is a cosmopolitan city, not at all like we're portrayed in the movies and on TV. Most people here don't ride horses, wear cowboy boots or hats, and our bars have regular doors, not the swinging kind.

I have a toddler, so I spend a lot of time outside. It's hot in Houston nine months out of the year, so this isn't necessarily my choice, but she's pretty active and will drive me nuts if I keep her cooped up inside. I'd have to say my favorite sight is the Williams Tower in the Galleria area of Houston. It's one of the tallest, if not the tallest, building in the city, and it rises out of the sprawl majestically, its pointed summit often disappearing into the swirl of clouds. At the base of the tower is a beautiful waterfall, that's especially pretty at night, when lit by multicolored lights. It's a really romantic spot.

My favorite sound is silence. I don't get much of that, and being in a large city doesn't help. It seems like there's always noise from traffic or helicopters or someone's air conditioning unit. If I can find a few minutes of real quiet, I appreciate it.

And my favorite smell are the roses outside my front door. I have a lovely rose bush that blooms profusely when it's not 100-degrees, and the roses are so fragrant, especially when I step outside my door.

homeandgardeneasy.com

Kim:  I see that you have been published in many different languages—what an accomplishment! What feedback have you received from your English speaking fans? Is it the same from your non-English speaking fans, such as those in Brazil, Russia, and the Netherlands? 

Shana:  What a great question! It always amazes me how alike people are the world over. It really is a very small world. I would never have thought my books would appeal to someone in Russia or Turkey or Indonesia, but I get letters from readers in those countries all the time. 

You'd be surprised because readers in The Netherlands and South Africa ask me the same questions as my readers in Oklahoma, New York, and California do. They want to know when my next book is coming out or whether I'll write another book with Adrian and Sophia from Lord and Lady Spy and if Bastien, the third brother in my Sons of the Revolution series, is Captain Cutlass. And the answers to those questions are that a Lord and Lady Spy II is looking very possible and Bastien's story is now in stores. The title, The Rogue Pirate's Bride, might give you some indication as to whether he's Captain Cutlass or not. 

Captain Jack Sparrow rules with the cutlass!

Kim:  I read on your website that you used to keep your younger sister awake telling her stories late into the night while growing up. Is your sister now involved in your writing endeavors, i.e. do you bounce ideas off her or ask her to proof read?

Shana:  My sister and I shared a room when we were kids, and my mom would actually set a kitchen timer and out it in the bedroom. When it dinged, we had to stop talking and go to sleep. My sister was usually glad because the ding meant I'd quit telling her stories and let her get some sleep. And I only got up once or twice a night and moved the timer back a couple of minutes.

My sister and I don't brainstorm together. She reads all my books, but she works in Uganda and isn't available for frequent chats. She has a pretty interesting life, since she works with the UN to help resettle Congolese refugees in a camp in Uganda. Now you'll often find her telling me the stories of her adventures. 

Henry Cavill with his Tudors cutlass

Kim:  Do you remember Kathe Robin's comment at RT?  What inspired this book, particularly a French hero?

Shana:  I don't remember Kathe saying that, but maybe it entered my unconscious because when Kathe Robin speaks, I certainly listen! Actually, even before that panel I'd been wanting to write a book with a pirate hero. One of my favorite romances is Marsha Canham's The Wind and the Sea. I've wanted to write a fun, action-packed book with a kick-ass heroine like her Courtney Farrow. I love Bastien. He's charming and funny and a perfect rogue, but The Rogue Pirate's Bride is really Raeven's story. She's a little impetuous and a lot impulsive, and she's got some tough lessons to learn.

As to why I wanted to write a French hero, I didn't. But I have always wanted to write a book or books set during the French Revolution. The Sons of the Revolution series is set after the revolution, and I found it interesting to address the ramifications of the revolution on the people who lived through it. Bastien spent the first 12 years of his life in France, but I don't think he considers himself particularly French. In fact, he has a vehement dislike of his native country after the atrocities he witnessed as a boy. 

Kim:  What's next for Shana Galen?

Shana:  As I said, I'd love to do another Lord and Lady Spy book. I think there's more to Adrian and Sophia's story. But that's still in the works. I definitely have a new series coming in the Fall. The first book releases in September, and it's titled When You Give a Duke a Diamond, and it begins a series about three glamorous Regency courtesans who unwittingly become involved with stolen diamonds. The fun thing about this series is that neither the diamonds nor the courtesans are what they seem.

Thanks so much for having me today. I'll be checking in all day and will be happy to answer questions from readers or respond to comments. 

Sailors aboard the HMS Resolution practice cutlass drills in 1896.
worldnavalships.com

Mahalo, Shana, for joining us at SOS Aloha!  Sourcebooks is giving away two copies of THE ROGUE PIRATE’S BRIDE – now available in stores: 

Revenge should be sweet, but it may cost him everything…

Out to avenge the death of his mentor, Bastien discovers himself astonishingly out of his depth when confronted with a beautiful, daring young woman who is out for his blood…

Forgiveness is unthinkable, but may be her only hope…

British Admiral’s daughter Raeven Russell believes Bastien responsible for her fiancé’s death. But once the fiery beauty crosses swords with Bastien, she’s not so sure she really wants him to change his wicked ways…

Check out my review on Goodreads at this link.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about pirates - do you have a favorite, real or fictional?   

I hail from Tampa where Jose Gaspar reeked havoc on the city in late 1700s and early 1800s.  Two centuries later, Tampa celebrated his legacy with an annual festival, Gasparilla.

2.  Sourcebooks' giveaway is only open to North American residents.  But I will giveaway a Jack Sparrow prize to one international reader (as he has been known to visit Hawaii).

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, February 18, 10 pm in Hawaii.   I'll post the winner on Sunday, February 19.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

Aloha to Ruthie Knox and RIDE WITH ME (ebook giveaway)

Let's kick off Valentine's Week with Loveswept author Ruthie Knox.  From her bio,

Ruthie Knox figured out how to walk and read at the same time in the second grade, and she hasn’t looked up since. She spent her formative years hiding romance novels in her bedroom closet to avoid the merciless teasing of her brothers and imagining scenarios in which someone who looked remarkably like Daniel Day Lewis recognized her well-hidden sex appeal and rescued her from middle-class Midwestern obscurity.

After graduating from Grinnell College with an English and history double major, she earned a Ph.D. in modern British history that she’s put to remarkably little use. These days, she writes contemporary romance in which witty, down-to-earth characters find each other irresistible in their pajamas, though she freely admits this has yet to happen to her. Perhaps she needs more exciting pajamas. Ruthie abhors an epilogue and insists a decent romance requires at least three good sex scenes. She’d love to hear from you, so drop her a line.

Kim:  We are nosy here at SOS Aloha - tell us your favorite sight, sound, and smell from where you live.

Ruthie:  I'm a very outdoorsy person, so I'm happiest in the woods. My husband, three-year-old son, and I live in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and do as much hiking as we can in nearby Door County--a peninsula that sticks out into Lake Michigan--in the summers. My favorite place to hike at the moment is probably Potawatomi State Park.

It's a wonderfully sparse, open forest, with a lot of new growth because it was logged in the first decades of the last century. It sounds like the woods -- all whooshing breezes in the canopy and dead leaves rustling underfoot. And in the fall, which is my favorite time to be there, it smells like clean, damp dirt, in the best possible way.

Kim: What movie prompted you to fall in love with Daniel Day Lewis? I think Daniel Dae Kim (from LOST and Hawaii Five O) is yummy.

Ruthie: I'm pretty sure the first movie I ever saw Daniel Day Lewis in was ROOM WITH A VIEW, followed by MY LEFT FOOT. Both great movies, but I have to admit, the crush started when I saw him in LAST OF THE MOHICANS. I was in eighth grade, and I fell hard. I think I saw it seven times in the theater. (Oh dear, did I just admit that on the Internet?) I don't usually go for long-haired guys, but as Hawkeye, Daniel spent most of the movie bedraggled, grimy, occasionally bloody, and relentlessly determined. I can't remember what he was determined about. He looks really hot when he's determined, though.

I still like Day Lewis, in part because he's such a weirdo, and he plays a weirdo in his movies so well. He was awesome in GANGS OF NEW YORK and THERE WILL BE BLOOD. And I heard on the radio that he spent a year apprenticed to an Italian cobbler not too long ago, which is pretty cool. I love an eccentric man.

As for Dae Kim -- *swoons*. Yes. Agreed. Totally yummy.

Kim: What did you plan to do with your double major from college and your PhD in modern British history? Any chance you'll incorporate what you have learned into your writing?

Ruthie: Plan? 

*snorts*

I didn't have much of a plan, really. I always liked being in school but knew too many academics when I was growing up to want to be a professor. They seemed to complain a lot. :) So I decided to try being an editor, and I worked through grad school at an academic press. After I finished my history degree, I launched a freelance editing business, and that's what I've been doing with my training for the past eight years -- helping academic writers get their books into shape for publication.

As you can probably imagine, all that editing experience has come in handy as I've been writing my romance manuscripts, and lately I've also been looking at transitioning from nonfiction into fiction editing, since fiction is where my heart is these days.

As for the history part of my degrees, I don't know if any of it will ever find its way into my writing. I don't read a lot of historical romance, and so far I haven't developed an interest in writing it. But you never know! If I were to try it, I have a feeling I would write very gritty, smelly historical romances about poor, desperate, urban people. Which is perhaps not what readers are clamoring for.

Kim: I am intrigued by your new book, as I followed some Canadian friends with the support van when they cycled around the Bodensee in Germany. Are you a cyclist? What resources did you use to write this book?

Ruthie: Yes, I am absolutely a cyclist, and RIDE WITH ME grew out of my love of cycling. It's the story of Tom and Lexie's journey across the TransAmerica trail, which stretches from Oregon to Virginia through the heart of the United States. When I wrote the book, I drew on a lot of stories from my own camping and cycling adventures, as well as from my dad's. He and two friends would take off every year when I was a kid to spend a week riding the Southern Tier Route, which crosses the United States from San Diego, CA, to Saint Augustine, FL. Dad always came home with funny tales.

As an adult, I've taken bike touring vacations with my parents and my husband in Utah, Montana, Colorado, and Vermont, and I've also done some riding in Ohio, Oregon, Indiana, and Wisconsin. (The picture is me on the Great Divide trail in Colorado.) So when it came time to write about Tom and Lexie's journey, I ended up having a lot of experience to draw on. I was actually surprised to find how familiar I was with a lot of the route.

I also made use of the Adventure Cycling Association's website (www.adventurecycling.org), which is an amazing resource. Adventure Cycling is a nonprofit that creates all these cross-country bike routes and publishes the trail maps, and they encourage people to post ride journals on their site. I combed through a lot of the journals to help me get a feel for what the terrain and overnight stops were like in the various places Tom and Lexie ride through.

Kim:  What's next for Ruthie Knox?

Ruthie: Well, RIDE WITH ME just released yesterday, so I have a fair amount of promo to do! This spring, I'm really excited to be going to my first writing conferences: Romantic Times in Chicago in April, followed by Romance Writers of America in California in July. In between those two conferences, I have another novel coming out with Loveswept on June 11, 2012, titled ABOUT LAST NIGHT. It's a London-based story about a bad girl who's been trying to reform and the straitlaced banker she meets, who turns out not to be nearly as straitlaced as she thinks. It's a funny, sexy, sweet clash-of-cultures romance about a damaged woman learning how to trust.

After that, who knows?! My agent has a few more projects that she's shopping around, and in the meantime I keep cranking out the pages. I've got my fingers crossed that readers will like this book, because I want to write lots more. :)

Thanks so much for interviewing me! Here's my question for your readers: Who was your first really serious cinematic crush? I'll give away an ecopy of RIDE WITH ME to one commenter.

Kim:  I look forward to meeting you at RT in Chicago and RWA in LA!  Thank you for the giveaway of RIDE WITH ME:

When Lexie Marshall places an ad for a cycling companion, she hopes to find someone friendly and fun to cross the TransAmerica Trail with. Instead, she gets Tom Geiger — a lean, sexy loner whose bad attitude threatens to spoil the adventure she’s spent years planning.

Roped into the cycling equivalent of a blind date by his sister, Tom doesn’t want to ride with a chatty, go-by-the-map kind of woman, and he certainly doesn’t want to want her. Too bad the sight of Lexie with a bike between her thighs really turns his crank.

Even Tom’s stubborn determination to keep Lexie at a distance can’t stop a kiss from leading to endless nights of hotter-than-hot sex. But when the wild ride ends, where will they go next?

Comments are open through Saturday, February 18, 10 pm in Hawaii. I'll post the winner on Sunday, February 19.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

Check out my review of RIDE WITH ME on Goodreads at this link.

To learn more about Ruthie and her books, check out her website at www.ruthieknox.com.

Daniel Dae Kim, "Ride with me!"

Aloha to Kimber An and DRIVE BY VALENTINE

Starting tonight, my husband will be performing Singing Valentines with his barbershop quartet, FUNNY BONES, through Tuesday night.  I'll receive my phone in Valentine when they are on break.

Last year, Funny Bones delivered a singing telegram to a gun shop.
Hubby is third from left!

Romance author Kimber An is offering a DRIVE BY VALENTINE:

Pushing thirty on Valentine’s Day, Eve realizes her desperate search for love has led to nothing but misery. Then, she takes a chance on a little old lady who’s famous for finding the perfect guy for every girl just by looking at his truck. 

Madonna, the Material Girl, "I'd rather have an old truck".

Check out the reviews on Goodreads at this link.  Kimber An is giving away an ecopy of DRIVE BY VALENTINE to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,


1.  Leave a comment about the most unusual Valentine card/gift you have received from your sweetheart, children, friends, or even students.  Or the most unusual you have given!


2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.


3.  Comments are open through Saturday, February 18, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, February 19.


Mahalo,


Kim in Hawaii


To learn more about Kimber An and her books, check out her website at www.kimberan.com.