What inspired you to become an author?
I believe all authors were or are voracious readers. I’m one of them and through my passion for books the idea for my first book was hatched.
What author influenced you the most?
I have all of Johanna Lindsey’s books. Even as a teenager, she was an automatic buy for me. She has always had the ability to transport me someplace else, forget all my troubles and dream for the kind of love her heroines tended to find. I want to provide that kind of escape and inspiration for my readers as well.
Do you have a favourite author? (Or name a few)
My favorite authors are Johanna Lindsey, Kresley Cole, Toni Morrison, Lena Matthews and Eve Vaughn.
What is the best writing advice you have ever received?
The best writing advice I ever received is to write the next book. It pays off more than any kind of marketing or promotional campaign you put your money behind.
What helps you write when you're stuck or have writer's block?
I break writer’s block with either music or cracking open a book. Reading someone else’s work instantly sparks my own muse. Unfortunately, what helps me with my own books has also contributed to the loss of one of my favorite hobbies. In that it’s difficult to sit down and read a novel from cover to cover because I’m always putting the book down to write my own stuff.
Do you like to listen to music while you write? If so, who are your favourite artists?
I listen to an eclectic mix of music from Amy Whinehouse and Patsy Cline to Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar. I tend to lean heavily on Whinehouse and Cline. Their music centers me during pivotal love scenes because it’s so emotional and riddled with angst.
After a long day of writing what is your favourite tv show you like to watch?
Like the music I listen to, my favorite television shows are just as varied. However, I will say all of them are scripted. I loathe reality television. It’s killing our brain cells. Right now, I can’t get enough of Empire, Power, Homeland, Penny Dreadful, The Flash, Vikings and Game of Thrones.
What are you working on currently?
I’m looking to release Player’s Challenge in July, but it’s a re-release that’s been expanded. In early fall, I plan on publishing Her Silver Fox. It’s a December-December romance featuring a more mature couple.
When you're not writing, what do you like to do?
Whenever I have free time, which is very little, I like to shop in thrift stores and travel. I think I was born with wanderlust. If I could stay on the road and write 365 days of the year, I would. I love discovering new places and experiencing different cultures.
What are some of your most favourite books of all time?
Toni Morrison’s Bluest Eye and Khalil Gilbrand’s The Prophet are two favorite books. I’ve even gone so far as to gift them to friends.
Is there anything specific you'd like to try writing about in the future?
I want to attempt a serial. I know readers hate cliffhangers, but I really want to try my hand at a monthly installment of stories in the same vein as Secret Life of a Call Girl.
Which of your characters do you love the most and why?
I favor my first heroine, Chloe Walker, from Charmed. Prone to talking smack, she’s the most like me in personality and character. She was independent and strong-willed, but she had a particular weakness for the hero. We both share this vulnerability when it comes to the opposite sex.
Which one of your books are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of Charmed. I wrote it in only two weeks. It was also the first book accepted for publication.
What is an interesting or hidden talent you have?
I have absolutely no talent other than ferreting out travel deals.
Is there anything else you'd like my readers to know?
Don’t be afraid to check out my books. They just might find something they like.
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