Welcome to the Happily ever authors guest blog!

HAPPILY EVER AFTER AUTHORS.
Hello! We are a group of authors who have come together in a blog where we celebrate the male/female relationships in romance, and what makes them wonderful reads.
We are: Bekki Lynn, Cricket Sawyer, Francesca Prescott, Jennifer Turner, Judah Raine, Kadian Tracey, Koko Brown, Lee Silver, Linda Banche, Lindsay Townsend. Sara Humphreys. Savanna Kougar.

Today, a group of us are blogging here at the Love Romances Café Blog! Thank you for having us along! We all answered Danny’s fascinating questions and here are our answers, question by question. We thought it would be interesting for you to see how we are similar, yet different, in each answer we give. We don't answer every question but we hope you find our answers intriguing.


Can you tell us something about you and your books?

Jude. Hello and thanks for having us along here today! Westville is a leafy suburb on the outskirts of Durban where my daughter and I share a house on a riverbank slap-bang in the middle of suburbia. We also share it with "our zoo"—a German Shepherd Doberman, one of her offspring from a gorgeous German Shepherd Timber Wolf, and a Great Dane masquerading as a miniature Maltese Poodle. We also have two cats, both of which have personality issues. But that's another long story.
I have a degree in Communications and English, with some Education and Psychology thrown in for fun. The need to earn a living has taken me from managing my husband's plumbing business through an animal science laboratory (who put me there and what were they thinking?) and conferencing, and finally into the property industry. But my nature is essentially creative, and I have tried pretty much everything there is to try in the "arts and crafts" genre.
Beading is a passion, especially on wedding gowns, which I design and make in my "spare time". I am also a guitarist and vocalist, and I am experimenting with combining my love for words with my love for music and writing some of my own songs. As a widow (my husband passed away eleven years ago from bone cancer) and with my daughter now "all grown up", I am finally able to focus on doing what I love best—writing! It was a passion discovered years and years and years ago growing up on the farm. Through the years it's been my friend, my therapy, my way of self-discovery, and sometimes the only lifeline to sanity!


Francesca. I’m an English writer living in Switzerland. I’ve been writing seriously for about ten years now, having started with humorous articles for a local magazine aimed at the Swiss ex-pat community. Encouraged by letters from readers (one kind soul even included a voucher for a free pedicure following a particularly funny piece about my unfortunate looking feet!), I moved on to writing full length fiction. “Mucho Caliente!”, my debut romantic comedy, is set in Ibiza, Spain, and was released late last year by BookStrand.

Savanna. Hi, I’m Savanna Kougar and I’m from the infamous baby boomer generation. My erotic romance novels always revolve around my love of the paranormal, all things magical and mystical ~ and my love of space via Star Trek and Stars Wars ~ you get the sci fi picture.

Kadian. Born in Jamaica, Kadian moved all over the small island until she moved to Canada. She is currently living in Ontario and is in University. She writes anything that catches her fancy especially African American and interracial romance.


Bekki. It’s a pleasure being here. Thank you for having Happily Ever Authors. I’ve always loved writing and began all the way back in high school. I currently have two erotic contemporaries available, A Psychic Hitch and Last Glass of Wine. They are the first in the Servin’ It Up series set in and around Rogan’s Steakhouse.

Linda. Hi, I'm Linda Banche, brand new romance author. I write Regency romances. My historically accurate stories include humor (most of the time), fantasy (sometimes) and the paranormal (once in a while).

My first book, Lady of the Stars, a Regency time travel novella, is now available from The Wild Rose Press. The Wild Rose Press will release my second novella, Pumpkinnapper, a Regency Halloween comedy, later this year.

I read romances for years before I finally decided to write my own. I quickly found out it's harder than it looks. I live in New England and like aerobics and ducks.

Sara. Thanks so much for having the Happily Ever Authors.
I am a former actress, married for 15 years to my college sweetheart. We live outside NYC with our 4 sons. My paranormal romance series is due out later this year. The Amoveo Legacy, Book 1, is about a secret society of shape shifters and the ongoing searches for their life mates.

Lee. Thank you for inviting the HEA authors to Loveromances and More, Danny!
I’m a southern gal now but grew up in the rolling farmland outside of historic Valley Forge, PA. We’re going on 16 wonderful years of happily ever after. We live in an old Victorian we restored on the Chesapeake Bay and spend the summers relaxing on the beach in Ocean City, MD. Our son is grown, living an apron’s string away from mama right here in Norfolk, VA.

I live a double life, techno geek by day and witchy romantic when the moon is full :) My day jobs have always required a fair amount of professional writing. After a reference manual and a few tongue-in-cheek editorials, I thought it would be fun to try my hand at fiction.

My new sci-fi suspense, The Twist is a BookStrand #1 Bestseller! As Siren Publishing’s new sister imprint, they carry broad line of books including mainstream & erotic romance. I wanted a heroine who would stand toe to toe with the leading man and a plot that would keep a reader on the edge of his seat. The Twist is only the beginning.

Jen. Hi! My name is Jen Turner. I'm 30, married, the mother of a nine year old girl, and I write dark paranormal romance. My debut novel, Eternal
Seduction, hit the shelves in October of 2008...and my life has been a
rollercoaster ride ever since. :)

Lindsay. I'm a British writer of historical romance and romantic suspense.

What is the most, and the least interesting fact about writing?

Jude. The most interesting would definitely be getting into my character’s heads – and hearts. Fascinating stuff, that. The least? Lol, that would have to be edits. I hate rewrites…

Francesca. I love the thrill of a new idea, that sparkly moment when you see something, or hear something that makes you sit up and reach for a notebook. I love it when the characters become so real they take control of the story, when I hear their voices and various accents, when writing becomes like watching a movie. I love playing with words, creating double entendres, finding the perfect word to create the perfect visual. I love seeing a smile creep over someone’s face when they read my work. I love the idea of entertaining complete strangers, making them laugh! Aspects of writing that I enjoy less tend to revolve around marketing my work. It takes up so much time, and since I’m not a pushy person, I’m not very good at selling myself.

Savanna. One of the most interesting, to me, is that I often feel like I’m channeling my heroines and heroes ~ and sometimes my animal characters.
The least interesting ~ me sitting in front of my computer screen typing away.

Kadian. The most interesting thing about writing – herm...I'd have to say is coming up with the ideas for the stories. It's surprising most of the times how I do it. Sometimes they just pop into my mind at the STRANGEST times. The least interesting part is trying to find the right place for a story – I write what I want then search for a publishing house that fits and that's not easy... and editing—editing is NOT interesting lol.

Linda. The most interesting fact is writing the type of story I like. The least interesting is keeping track of all the different bits and pieces involved. I have copies of everything all over the place.

Sara. The most interesting thing about writing is when I create a new character I get to delve deep into what makes people tick. The least interesting part is the editing. Ugh.

Jen. The most interesting would have to be world building, because sometimes my characters like to change the rules and I have to decide whether or not to let them! The least, sex scenes, to this day...I still agonize over writing them.

Lindsay. The most interesting fact, or facts, is discovering my characters as I write about them. The least, for me, is spell-checking!

Are you interested in writing other genres?

Jude. I’d love to do thrillers – the intense, nail-chewing, psychological stuff. Or historic – panoramic stories of the past.

Francesca. I would love to try my hand at a huge, epic saga. Something as big and bold as, say, Barbara Taylor Bradford’s “The Thorn Birds”. However, considering my tendency to inject humor into everything, the result might be rather unusual!

Savanna. Not currently. I have a galaxy’s worth of stories to tell. Although, that could always change

Kadian. Oh Yes!! I've been trying my hand at Paranormal but so far I suck at it lol. But I am going to keep trying until I get it.

Bekki. Yes. I also write women’s lit, mainstream and paranormal. I’m not opposed to trying anything as long as I can do it my way.

Linda. No. I stick to mainstream historical and I like Regency, which are stories set in England 200 years ago. 99% of what I read is Regency. I stray a little, to Victorian and Georgian, and I add a little fantasy and paranormal to my stories, but I don't find other eras romantic.

Sara. I would be interested in writing futuristic or alien romance.

Jen. I write Dark Paranormal Romance, but I’d love to try writing an intense horror novel.

Lindsay. At the moment I'm happy writing what I write.


How did your family react to fact that you also write romance novels? Have your family read your books?

Jude. Surprisingly, they’re all hugely supportive. I don’t think many (any?) of them have ever actually read them though. Let’s not push what is otherwise a really good relationship.

Francesca. Everyone around me has been supportive of my writing. Most members of my family have read “Mucho Caliente!”, as well as the first draft of the book I’m currently rewriting. My teenage daughter recently sold a copy of “Mucho Caliente!” to her English teacher! I’d love to be a fly on the wall in the staff room! Then again, maybe not…

Savanna. Mostly, they ignore me. I might earn a polite pat on the head for an accomplishment. But that’s it.
Have your family read your books? My mom has read some of my writing, and enjoys it. If any other family member has read my books they haven’t told me.

Kadian. Well my mother is happy and proud. She hates the fact that when I write I got to bed at strange hours of the morning (if at all). They've read my stuff and I had to explain to my father that some of the sexual things I write about (under my pseudonym – that I don't actually do lol) it was embarrassing to say the least.

Bekki. My husband has known I write stories for almost as long as we’ve been married. Our sons, for a long time, thought mommy was just addicted to the computer. Once they found out, it was simply no big deal. And no, none of the family has read my books. Knowing the glib remarks and teasing I’d take, I’m not so sure I’d want them to.

Linda. My husband thinks I'm doing great, since I started only about three years ago. Of course, he hasn't read my book, either. He doesn’t read novels.

Sara. They were impressed I wrote a book in general. The fact that it was a paranormal romance was not surprising, given my affinity for sci-fi movies. I grew up addicted to Star Trek and Soap operas—‘nuff said.

My husband has read parts and was a sounding board for me as I developed the story. My parents and siblings have all read it and really liked it. My Father pointed out, however, that he couldn’t read the “sexy parts” because they were written by his daughter. I thought that was pretty funny. My Mother and sisters on the other hand read it cover to cover.

Lee. The honest truth? Complete shock. I’m the shy geeky type, and everybody was amazed that I could write a romance novel. They all got a copy of The Twist for Christmas, but Mom is still my #1 fan :)

Jen. They weren’t surprised at all. And yes, most of my immediate family have read my books. Even my Dad and older brother. Not to mention, my Mother-In-Law. :)

Lindsay. They’ve got used to it, and my husband has always been a helpful reader and critic. As for others, some have read my books and some don’t go for romance much anyway.

Most authors are also avid readers. Is this the case with you? If so, who are some of your favorites? Have any influenced your writing?

Jude. I love reading, but holding down a full time job plus writing and the “peripherals” of editing and promo-stuff leaves little room for reading. As an English student I have a real soft spot for the classics – they still all languish on my bookshelf – but I’ll pretty much read everything so long as it’s well put together. I hate slapdash, or sensationalism for its own sake. As for influences, I think anything you read, if it has impact, will influence a writer in one way or another. I’ve tried to develop my own style though, and I don’t think I consciously follow one or other pattern.

Francesca. I read in bed every night. If I’m really into a book, I have to force myself to turn off the light and go to sleep, whereas no matter when my husband is reading, he’ll read two pages and conks out with his book on his nose. Bill Bryson is one of my favorite authors; I love his sense of humor and wacky way with words. I read a lot of books by Jilly Cooper in my teens and early twenties; she was just a little bit naughty and always made me laugh, so it’s probably safe to say that I was influenced by her. I also admire Marian Keyes turn of phrase, her ability to find humor in the darkest places. I must admit to being attracted to more light-hearted books, but then again, I got completely caught up in Andrea Levi’s stunning “Small Island”, or Khaled Hosseni’s heart-wrenching “The Kite Runner.” A book I read years ago but still often think about is Elizabeth Berg’s “The Year of Pleasures.” It’s about a woman who moves to a small town to start over after the death of her husband. It’s about finding solace in simple things like good food, a hot bath, music, good friends. It’s soft and beautiful.

Savanna. I used to be. Now, I really don’t have time. I’m either researching, writing my next novel or promo-ing.
If so, who are some of your favorites? Recently, I read Lindsay Townsend’s Escape to Love, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I look forward to reading the other wonderful ebooks I have waiting, and a few print titles.
Have any influenced your writing? Every romance novel I’ve ever read, tons of them! influences my writing now. Probably, the historical romances of the 80's and the novels by Jayne Ann Krentz have influenced me the most.


Kadian. I LOVE Catherine Coulter and Jayne Ann Krentz (aslo writes as Amanda Castle) and Sandra Hill and then there is my regular fiction. I LOVE reading. I think my favorite book of all time has got to be The Colour Purple...or is it Lovely Bones...ugh! I can't pick! My friend once told me that the world was gonna pass me by because I always have my nose in one book or another.

Bekki. I love to read, always have. It would be nothing for me to read a book day, sometimes two, but these days, I don’t have the time. I’m lucky to get through one book a month, sometimes two or three if they are short. I’m hoping when I can figure out a writing and promo schedule that works for me, I can get back into the reading groove. I love Nora Roberts, LaVyrle Spencer, Sandra Brown and JoAnn Ross. Nora has been the biggest influence. When I found her and read that first single title, I was hooked. She validated my writing by the way she wrote.
Linda. I must have read thousands of Regencies by now. I love some of the stars--Mary Jo Putney, Loretta Chase, Edith Layton, Anne Gracie. But the author I like the best is Barbara Metzger. She writes a laugh-out-loud Regency. Since my stories also tend to be funny, I think my stories resemble hers the most.

Sara. I do love to read. I have always loved romance and paranormal romance in particular. My favorite authors are Christine Feehan and Lori Handeland. I love the dark, sexy heroes that Feehan writes and the sharp, sarcastic wit of Handeland.
Jen. I love to read, but try not to read any new books in my genre while I’m writing. Stephen King will always be my favorite author, but right behind him is Sherrilyn Kenyon. She definitely takes the place as an inspiration for me.


Lindsay. I read a lot, especially when I’m not writing, and it’s often thrillers or spooky material - Dean Koontz, John Grisham, Lee Child and so on – though I did grow up with ‘Rebecca’ and the romantic suspense novels of Phyllis Whitney. I’m not sure if any have influenced my writing: I try to make my writing distinct.


Where do you get the inspirations for your books?

Jude. Anywhere. Everywhere. A chance phrase, a scene, situations and the way people react, my own life… There is inspiration in everything, if we just look at it with the eyes of opportunity, see beyond the here and now to the potential of it.

Francesca. The idea for “Mucho Caliente!” came to me while visiting one of my closest girlfriends who lives in Ibiza, a beautiful island off the coast of Spain. We were hanging out at the cabana of a trendy beach, sipping margaritas and feeling languidly sundrenched, when I spotted one of my favorite pop stars, strutting his stuff salsa style on the dance floor. “Let’s go dance!”, urged my girlfriend. Unfortunately, I had already morphed into a giant, wobbly, sunburned Barbapapa and couldn’t possibly leave my wicker bar stool. Besides, I was wearing a bikini and strongly suspected there might be an embarrassing tic-tac-toe pattern on my backside! So I just ogled him from afar (trust me, you’d have ogled too!), wishing the tall, blonde, ugly mug (yeah, right!) he was dancing with would get her hip gyrations in a twist and fall over, but the sneaky thing had clearly been practicing. So I flew home and comforted myself with an eighteen month, perfectly legitimate, extramarital affair in front of my computer.
My current work in process was inspired by an old abandoned hotel on the Greek island of Ithaca, and by something a Greek taxi driver told me while we were visiting the island.

Savanna. Everywhere, anywhere...the world is my inspiration. Hey, the world is all a stage... A word, a phrase from a song can light up my imagination like a movie screen, and I see a scene played out. I feel it.

Kadian. The strangest places. For Broken Wings, I was in church. I mean the least little thing can give me an idea. I mean I was just watching America's Best Dance Crew and I watched Quest Crue perform and they gave me an idea!

Bekki. Life—everywhere I look, everyone I talk to, and the music I listen to.

Linda. I have no idea. Lady of the Stars started as an entry to a time travel contest. I had never thought of writing a time travel before. As for the other stories I'm working on, I have a Halloween comedy, another story starring a weregoose, another about a goose who can understand English, and a Christmas story about man who sees mistletoe where there isn't any. All Regencies, romances and comedies.

Sara. A very rich fantasy life in adolescence created a wealth of ideas.

Lee. You hear some strange things standing in the ladies’ room line on the Ocean City boardwalk. A cute little thing in a halter top and a pair of Daisy Dukes behind me was arguing with her purple-haired boy friend about her smoking. He was going on about what a filthy habit it was and how he might as well be kissing an ashtray. Fumbling in her purse for a Virginia Slim, all she could come up with in her defense was “You have no idea how hard it is for a girl to quit smoking!” I’ve always been fascinated by transformation stories, but they never seem to have a happy ending. Hum, it sounded like there was a story there to me.

Jen. My husband, my friends...and believe it or not, most often, my nine year old daughter. In an upcoming book, I swear there will be a character who lets out a satisfied sigh and says, “This candy bar is awesome.” And you will all be able to laugh and know that line came directly from my daughter. :)

Lindsay. From the characters themselves and their loves, secrets and fears. From the setting. From watching real people. From asking myself the question, “What if?”


Do you find it difficult at times to write love scenes?

Jude. The difficulty is in being real and not cliché, in capturing the emotion and putting it across so that the reader actually “experiences” it. Intimacy means different things to different people, and it’s challenging to encapsulate the meaning of things in a way that is meaningful to those “outside the moment.


Francesca. So far, my love scenes have not been graphic. The love scenes in “Mucho Caliente!” are hot without being explicit. I write in first person, and wrote the main love scene in my first book imagining I was in bed with a famous Latino pop star! It was such a nerve-wracking notion that I found myself writing in stream of consciousness, worrying whether “I” smelt right, whether “my” kissing technique was up to scratch, “my” ears clean. The scene unfolds like a giant, sensual wave peppered with comic ingredients. I’ve been told it works really well, and I certainly had a lot of fun writing it!

Savanna. The difficulty is in the description so that it truly evokes not only what is physically occurring, but what is emotionally and, at time, spiritually occurring between the heroine and the hero.

Kadian. (Blush) nah. Love scenes are fun to write...

Bekki. Yes, I do only because I write on the sofa in the living room, so anyone of the kids or my husband could come over and look over my shoulder without me knowing it. I become so absorbed into the mind and body of the characters that nothing else exists. So I get down the basics and later, I’ll go back and do nothing else but work on the scene. I actually love writing them; it’s the easiest part of the story when the couple is ready for it.

Linda. Oh, yes, love scenes embarrass me. All those body parts! I prefer sexual tension and tend to maximize the preliminaries and minimize the completion.

Sara. It’s only challenging if my kids are around. It kind of kills the mood and blows my concentration. Not to mention, I wouldn’t want them to get a glimpse of what I’m writing. I think it would weird out my 13 year old quite bit.

Lee. Nope :)

Jen. Absolutely. It’s not necessarily bringing out the emotion in the scene I find difficult, but more the word choice and finding a way to make it not read “cheesy”. I usually have to get 3-4 opinions before I’ll finalize a love scene.

Lindsay. Only if I’m out of sorts.


What is your favorite book from the books that you have written so far? Who are your favorite hero and heroine, and why?

Jude. That’s a bit like asking which is my favourite child, lol. Seriously though, because I engage with my books, and with the characters, there aren’t any favourites. Each of them is different, tells a different story, and I love them all because in some ways they are all part of me.

Francesca. I’ve only completed one book so far, so I can’t answer this question.


Savanna. I couldn’t answer that if you paid me. They are all my favorites, or I don’t write them.


Kadian. Broken Wings – Because it was inspired by my faith. It has so much of me in that story, in the female character that it is scary. I love it because I am hoping to inspire women with low self esteem to get their groove back and go out there, meet that special someone but at the same time not to let anyone walk over them because they are beautiful and no anyone's doormat.

Bekki. Out of all of my books to date – wow. Each have their own unique love-spot, but out of the two published, its Last Glass of Wine, hands down. And out of the two books, I think Cheri and Allen of A Psychic Hitch are the favorites. There’s just something extremely real and natural about them in the way they interact. It’s not often two people fall into that right from the start, but when it does it shows. It’s obvious to everyone that they’re soul mates.

Linda. I have only one book out so far, Lady of the Stars. Lady of the Stars will always have a special place in my heart because it is the first. I like Richard and Caroline, the hero and heroine from Lady of the Stars, a great deal because they’re both the kind of people I like--smart, accomplished, caring, and they pick themselves up when they’ve been knocked down.

Sara. Book 1: The Amoveo Legacy is my favorite. I’m writing Book 2: The Amoveo Heart now. Malcolm and Samantha are my favorite hero and heroine, from The Amoveo Legacy. I really love Samantha because she’s smart, tough and can laugh at herself. Malcolm’s relentless efforts to connect with Sam, and his undying devotion to her make him incredibly sexy.

Lee. I’m crazy about the hero and heroine in my new sci-fi suspense, The Twist. Zane met his match with Kathy. He’s full of himself in a typical guy sort of way. But Kathy, with all her feminine charm, let Zane know from the minute they met at the elevator, she’d stand toe to toe with him for the full nine rounds. Its mutual respect like this that turns to love that will last a life time.

Jen. Eternal Seduction is my first and only published book, so it’s easily my favorite. :) Logan and Kerestyan were so different and non-traditional that I think they’ll always be my favorite couple.

Lindsay. I have a particular affection for my first published novel, “Voices in the Dark”, because it was my first published novel. It’s a dark romantic suspense.

My favourite hero – Gosh! That’s difficult. I love all my men for different reasons. Marcus of his strength and compassion. Guillelm for his power and honour. Roberto for his sexy singing voice and personality. Fearn for his healing and patience and massive abilities… I can’t choose, sorry!

My favourite heroine – equally tricky. I love Sarmatia for her vulnerability and stubbornness. Flavia for her quick wit and compassion. Julia for her passion. Melissa for her joie de vivre. Strangely, the heroine I had most fun writing is my most amoral: an ambitious, dangerous, tricky, vengeful but caring princess called Ahhotpe from my ancient Egyptian epic, “BLUE GOLD.”



Which book was the hardest to write and which the easiest?

Jude. Still Running was probably the hardest, because it was my first one – I had pre-submission jitters very badly, and kept second-guessing myself the whole way through. On the whole, though, I find writing comes easily because I tend to “live” the story and with the characters, so it becomes almost an instinctive thing.

Francesca. My WIP has proved far more difficult to write than “Mucho Caliente!”, which virtually wrote itself. The plotline is far more complex, the story much bigger (I told you I was leaning towards an epic saga!). I’m taking my time in order to get it right.

Savanna. Hmmm... they all have their easier and harder aspects. The hardest to write, probably because of the sheer size, 100,000 plus words, was Murder by Hair Spray in Gardenia, New Atlantis.
The easiest, by a slight edge, was Tangerine Carnal Dreams. Although, the edits were very tricky in places, since I’d written the POV in an experimental way and had to revise.

Kadian. The hardest to write for me was Broken Wings, because of the emotional tug-of-war with the female and her mother even after her mother's death. I mean how do you rise again after being emotionally murdered? It took a toll on me emotionally even though I know it was fiction. The easiest to write was A Scottish Lord's Destiny....or was it Desert Protector? Desert Protector was fun to write because I love a woman that wields two guns lol. A Scottish Lord's Destiny was easy to write because of who the male was...

Bekki. Based on the two available now, Last Glass of Wine was the most difficult to write. That’s not to say, A Psychic Hitch was a piece of cake, but the emotional undertones driving Last Glass of Wine weren’t there.

Linda. I have two novellas, one out and one in edits. Neither was easy. Some of the scenes arrived full-blown in my mind, but writing the connecting scenes was very difficult.

Sara. The Amoveo Legacy was harder to write than The Amoveo Heart. For T.A.H. the back story is set and I’ve worked out the nuances of their race, so I’m able to really focus on the character development right away. I’m having a blast discovering these two new people.

Lee. I had a ton of technical papers under my belt and had even done a self-published reference manual before I sat down to write my first novel. The professional stuff is easy for me. I’ve been doing it for 25 years. But creative writing, that was completely different. I literally had to relearn how to write.

Jen. Eternal Seduction was the easiest to write, Eternal Hearts (book 2) is quickly becoming the hardest.

Lindsay. I've found all endings tough in all my books.


If you could travel through time to visit a special time period or famous person, what or who would it be and why?

Jude. Oh wow – you mean I can choose only one? If I could go through time, I’d like to take in every stop along the way!! Okay, possibly the Inca’s – I have a huge fascination for their civilisation, the empire, the spirituality…

Francesca. I would love to be able to travel back sixty or seventy years, just to be given the opportunity to meet my Irish grandfather who was killed in World War 2 when his boat was torpedoed in the English channel by an enemy submarine. My grandmother was only in her mid-twenties, but she never remarried, and raised my mother and uncle alone. She kept the wallet the navy found on his body when he was washed up on the coast of France in her bedside table, and throughout her long life regularly took it out to hold. Her hazel eyes would fill with tears as she went through its contents, talking about him. She died three years ago, murmuring his name. I’m sure they are together again in a beautiful, warm, sunny place.

Savanna. That’s a loaded question for me. I’d love to be a time traveler. However, right now, I’d choose Atlantis, at its spiritual height.

Kadian. Wow... I would have to say, the 1800's. I would like to attend one of those balls – and maybe start a little gossip through the Ton for having an illicit affair with some dark, dashing rogue (growls).

Linda. Why, Regency England, of course! I would love to see the clothes, and just once, one of those fancy society balls that are the mainstay of novels set in the period. Although I wouldn’t care to stay there. Women were chattel, medicine was primitive and most likely I would be even poorer than I am now.

Jen. Scotland circa the 1200’s. I can’t imagine a more beautiful sight!


Do you listen to music while you are writing and if so what music is it?

Jude. “If music be the food of love…” Absolutely. Mostly classical though – I find anything with words distracting – or instrumental.

Francesca. What I listen to depends on what I’m writing. I use music to transport me to the place where the action of my story is taking place. While writing “Mucho Caliente!” I listened to upbeat Latin American and Spanish music, as well as chill-out, electronic tracks. Ibiza’s “Café del Mar” compilations were on heavy rotation! For my second book, set between England, California, Sicily and Greece, I “teleport” with classic west coast tracks, Italian pop and Greek artists (I discovered a fabulous Greek musician called Giorgos Dalaras!).

Savanna. Funny, when I’m writing, songs follow me around, synchronicity at work. For example The Year of the Cat and Black Magic Woman would play as bumper music on Coast-to-Coast am ~ nighttime paranormal radio ~ as I worked on Black Cat Beauty.
However, I have been listening to women crooners sing swing tunes and torch songs, the beloved late Eartha Kitt being one of my favorites.

Kadian. It would depend what I was writing. If I'm writing a fun scene I'll listen to anything from Lee Min Woo, to Jang Woo Hyuk. If am writing a sad scene about a cheater I would listen to Rain's “In My Bed”. Encounters I love Chris DeBurgh's “Lady in Red.” Love scenes, I would listen to Epik High, Luther Vandross, Brian McKnight, Robin Thicke (you should listen to his lyrics HOTT)...My musical tastes ranges...

Bekki. I do. It all depends on the genre. For the women’s lit and mainstream I have to have Barry Manilow’s greatest hits blaring in my ears. This is the only time I use headphones for my music. For most of the erotic pieces, Bonnie Tyler is on media player, shuffle and repeat.

Linda. No, I need quiet to write.

Sara. I do. I like Nickelback or Evanescence.

Lee. You all are going to think I’m crazy, and I’m probably showing my age, but I’m a huge Jimi Hendrix fan. I actually have over 100 albums counting the bootlegs and international releases!

Jen. I don’t think I could write without music. I listen to everything from classical to oldies to hip hop to alternative. What can I say? I have eclectic tastes. :)

Lindsay. Yes, sometimes. I tend to have a regular CD which I keep coming back to as I write a particular book. I’m having a Philip Glass period at the moment, the violin concerto and some other pieces.


If you could choose of your books for a movie, which one would it be and who would you as the cast?

Jude. Probably A Thick Black Line. I like the sinister undertone to it, which I think would interpret well on screen with Russell Crowe and I really wish Meryl Streep was younger! Having said that, the one I’m currently working on would be a real feast…

Francesca. Definitely “Mucho Caliente!”. It would make such an uplifting, colorful movie, a cross between “How Stella got her Groove Back” and “Notting Hill”, with a backdrop and atmosphere reminiscent of “Mamma Mia – The Movie”. I’d could imagine Kristin Davis as Gemma (she was Charlotte in Sex and the City), and maybe Amaury Nolasco (Sucre in “Prison Break”) as Emilio, as long as he grew in some hair! A girl can dream!

Savanna. Since my stories are always movie-screen visual...in fact my editor for Red Lioness Tamed, remarked it was like reading a movie because of the writing style I used...I think all of my currently released books would look wonderful on the big screen.
One? .... I’ll go with All Shades of Blue Paradise ~ can you imagine a film shot in delicious gorgeous shades of blue...the sheer art and the stunning visuals that could be created of life as it is in that aristocratic, Blue Light dimension...not to mention all the erotic love scenes...
Actress and Actor...hmmm...that’s difficult since Sher and Zag don’t look like any of the current-day screen hotties. There would have to be a casting call.

Kadian. Desert Protector – even though its a short. But I mean it has a war, superstitions, A sexy Sheikh, a dark and brooding female that wields two guns with a dark and depressing past... forbidden love, and passion ...I would watch it lol.

Bekki. I have an unpublished story I think would be perfect for Lifetime Movies, it’s tentatively titled Patience. Who would I cast? Unknowns. I’ve found when movies are made from books and well-known actors are used, I feel the choices for the roles are all wrong. Maybe it’s due to prior airings of their works, or simply because I’ve read the book and have a completely different idea of who and what they are. Those who have used unknowns were always more pleasing to me, providing they can act.

Linda. I think Lady of the Stars, as a time travel, would make a great movie. The Regency era for the costume drama lovers, like me, and the contemporary part for those who like the present. I need a blue-eyed blond for the hero, Richard, and a short dark-haired lady for Caroline, the heroine.

Sara. I would start with The Amoveo Legacy, since it is Book 1. Hmmm. Malcolm would be played by a Brendan Fraser type. Tall, strong, built, a sexy smile a touch of arrogance. Samantha would be played by my sister Kate Taney, who is an actress here in NYC. Actually, she is the model for my temporary book cover and in the book trailer too.

Jen. Oh, I don’t even know where to start...


What three words would describe you best?

Jude. Love, laugh, live.
Francesca. Loyal. Caring. Soft.
Savanna. Fire. Sea. Gold.
Kadian. Fun, cultural-obsessed, musical.
Bekki. Unpredictable; Introverted; Obsessive
Linda. Persistent, persistent, persistent. That's French for "too stupid to give up".
Sara. Talkative. Resourceful. Creative.
Jen. Stubborn, loyal and crazy!
Lindsay. Love. Loyal. Obsessed.


What does your typical writing day look like?

Jude. I don’t do typical. Not ever. Or it doesn’t do me, I’m not sure which. My day, my life, seems to charge at a frenetic pace and I’ve learned to think on my feet, make adjustments to the schedule and never, ever, swim against the current…

Francesca. Like all women, I have loads of different things to do every day. I’m not an early morning person, so I’m rarely at my desk before 9 o’clock. I’ll check and answer my emails with a cup of coffee, then get to work. Whether or not I can work for many hours straight depends on whether I have to go grocery shopping, pick up dry cleaning, do laundry, wash windows, etc. It’s hard for me to work after three in the afternoon as my children both finish school at various times, and need to be picked up and driven to…wherever they need to be driven! I also ride my horse three or four times a week, and try to get to Pilates on a regular basis.

Savanna. You really don’t want to know. Three words ~ frumpy, frustrated, fascinated.

Kadian. Is there such a thing? I write when I can, during lectures (shhhh its a secret!), after lecture, during meals, before bed...I write.

Bekki. If’ it’s not a workday and I have no commitments, I’m on the computer seventeen to twenty hours before I crash. While I work on this story or that story, I often take breaks to take care of other business such as promotion, updates to websites, lurking in writer loops and chatting with friends.

Linda. My only writing day is Sunday. I write my personal blog entry, do some promo on the loops, then do whatever writing I have to do.

Sara. Oh to have a whole day would be glorious! Truthfully…it’s more like when can I grab an hour here or there. So the answer is….whenever I can get the time!

Jen. I don’t have one. I write when I feel it, and never force myself into a schedule. I tried to set a daily word count for a while, but found I revolted against it. :)

Lindsay. A mess!



In a few days is Valentine’s Day, what is romantic for you? What would be a perfect Valentine’s day date for you?

Jude. The mountains are a must – the stars are so close there that you can almost reach out and touch them. And water. And, with the right man, who need’s music?

Francesca. Hmmm, quite honestly, I don’t really pay much attention to Valentine’s Day, probably because it’s not such a big deal in Switzerland. However, I always buy my husband a little present, just to mark the occasion. I also put fresh flowers in my children’s bedrooms; my son tends to raise a cool eyebrow at yellow roses on his desk, but I don’t see why flowers should be for women only. My husband always has a big bouquet of flowers delivered to me. My perfect Valentine’s day date? A quiet dinner in a pretty restaurant with my husband.

Savanna. So many things are romantic for me. Roses, just seeing them out in my yard, is romantic.
One of the most romantic, though, is watching a man propose to the woman he loves...seeing his heart in his eyes, hearing it in his voice...it makes the tears come every time.
Romance, of course, is why I write my heroine and hero’s love story. Sigh...
What would be a perfect Valentine’s day date for you?
Disco dancing with a man like Volcano, my hero in When a Good Angel Falls. Once, long ago, in a world now far away, some friends and I put on a Valentine’s Day disco party. It was the absolute best. The most fun. I absolutely adore dancing, disco being one my favorite sexy-free styles.
However, if the right man took me dancing... yeah, that’s Valentine’s Day to me.

Kadian. Perfect valentine's date – Since its cold, an all day erm snuggle fest, junk food and a good movie...preferably a comedy or action flick. I don't do chick flicks.

Bekki. I love simple things, so cuddling on the bed or sofa while watching a movie is perfect. But then so is a dinner out and holding hands across the table while we talk. The perfect Valentine’s Day date – I’ve had it more than once. The last time was a few years ago, we went out for dinner before going to the Civic Center for a concert. This was a small, intimate concert where my teen heartthrob was performing for area fans. There was no better Valentine’s Day for me. I had my lover with his arm around me as we listened to the songs of old and songs new from a man who’s always had a special place in my heart.

Linda. I don't really care about anything special on Valentine's Day. I'm just happy to have another Valentine's Day with my husband.

Sara. It would be great to get a day out with just my hubby. We live 25 minutes outside the city but never get to go. So I would adore a day in NYC. Go to the museums, walk in the park and enjoy a long lovely dinner with a huge bottle of Shiraz. Sigh…


Jen. A nice dinner with my husband followed up by a movie we both like. I don’t need big displays or lavish gifts – I think romance is everywhere if you know where to look.

Lindsay. A walk in woodland with my husband.

Are you working on anything right now, and can you tell us a teaser about these projects?

Jude. The (Un)Making of Missy is my current project, and tells the story of a young woman raised by a Victorian-type grandmother and her journey from isolation to love. It’s a fascinating exploration and I’m loving it. I have two others under construction as well – Taming the Beast is a true African love story, set in a private game reserve and Changing Lives is about two friends, both dissatisfied with their lives, who do just that…

Francesca. I’m working on the second draft of a romantic saga called Turn Left at the Ocean.

Savanna. I’ve always got something spicy and romance-hot in the hopper. Right now I’m finishing up a contracted novel for Siren-BookStrand. I’m also working on a shifter-dimensional-cowboy novella that takes place in the southeast mountains of New Mexico, titled ~ Stallion of Ash and Flame. It’s being written from the hero’s POV... so we’ll see. And, I’m about to start working on a fae erotic romance, titled, Moonrise of the Fairy Wolf, which might be part of an anthology, but that’s a fluid situation.

Kadian. Well I'm working on a paranormal (told you I was trying lol) called “Darkness Rising: Shinigami” and a fiction titled “Dirty, Stinking, Rich: Rusty Nail Blues” I'll add a peek at Darkness Rising..

Darkness Rising: Shinigami
To get his revenge, he would have to die...
Five hundreds years ago, Tikashi Shota's family was killed when a rogue Oni invaded his village. Knowing that he must avenge their deaths, he is visited by the wise fox who tells him that in order "to get your revenge, you must die." What she failed to mention, was that the only way that Tikashi could return from the dead is to take on the role of Shinigami. Tikashi is back to take his vengeance. Only now he has one person to destroy and that is the woman that is left from the lineage of the evil that took his beloved Sayuri and his son. But, Tikashi has fallen for the enemy and things are starting to spiral out of control.
Ada Jennings meets Tikashi and they have a quick fling one night at a club - but when he begins to mutter nonsense, she has no idea what this strange Japanese man is talking about. She knows one thing for certain, there is something about him that makes her mouth water. A month later they cross paths again and when he tells her that she has to die for his vengeance to be complete she is ready for a fight - that is until she gets attacked and Tikashi flies in to save her. In that one night, secrets will be revealed, lives will be shattered and hopefully, a love spanning centuries will prevail over a darkness that threatens it all.
Bekki. Contemptible Service is my current project. It’s the third in the Servin’ It Up series containing A Psychic Hitch and Last Glass of Wine. This story is more complex in that the heroine is arrested for the poisoning of a wine dinner and at the same time dealing with new found knowledge that the man who just proposed to her is bi-sexual.
I have several projects in the works, one has been submitted and I’m patiently waiting for the word on it. It’s my first paranormal titled Jewel of the Sun’s BLOOD DESTINY where a spiritual ancestry triad has decided it’s the time to bring Cassandra and Elan together to complete their destiny.


Linda. I have another novella, Pumpkinnapper, a Regency Halloween comedy fantasy, also coming out from The Wild Rose Press. The one line blurb is “Pumpkin thieves, a youthful love rekindled, and a jealous goose. Oh, my.”

Sara. I am writing Book 2:The Amoveo Heart. I am working on story development for Books 3 & 4 as well. I have a vamp series that I’ve begun to write. Book 1 is Heart of the Coven. It’s about a coven of vampire chicks living and working in NYC…think “Sex in the City” for vampires.
Lee. I just started working on a sequel to The Twist so we can all see what everybody's favorite feisty female scientist is up to next. A teaser? wink, it’ll be HEA :)

Jen. Eternal Hearts, book 2 of the Darkness Within Series, is my current project. I’m working on final edits and can’t wait to get finished!
Teaser Blurb: Toni Tutoro just wants to go home. Banned from Chicago's vampiric society after cutting a swath of violence through the city, she must now successfully complete an investigation for the Lord of Chicago to regain the right to live in her hometown again.
To ensure Toni's safety during her probationary period, Drake Black, a feared assassin, is secretly contracted to protect her. Even with direct orders to keep his relationship professional, and his own personal vow to never get involved with a female vampire again, Drake finds himself drawn to Toni in ways he can't explain. But unbeknownst to him, he's tied to one of the people who drove Toni to her night of destruction.
Drake's heritage holds the key to Toni's survival and success, but will she be able to forgive his connection to the brutal night that robbed her of those she loved most? Will Drake be able to forget the betrayals in his past and risk taking one more chance? But most of all, can they find a way to reach each other in the darkness?


Lindsay. I've just finished my third 'knight' book and am about to do edits for BRONZE LIGHTNING.

Thank you for having us all here today!!


Here are the Links to their websites/blogs:

HEA blog

Lindsay Townsend's blog

Bekki Lynn's website

Sara Taney Humphreys' website

Savanna Kougar's website

Francesca Prescott's website

Jennifer Turner's website

Judah Raine's website

Kadian Tracey's website

Lee Silver's website

Linda Banche's website

Cricket Sawyer's website

Koko Brown's website