Welcome to Pamela Palmer's guest blog

Did you always want to become a writer?

No, honestly, I was in my late 20’s the first time it even crossed my mind that I might like to write a book. I grew up wanting to be an astronaut. The Star Trek, seek-out-new-life-and-new-civilizations kind of astronaut, not the orbit-the-Earth kind. I’d always hated English and Literature classes as a kid. Though I was an avid reader, I wanted to read Nancy Drew or, later, gothic romances, which were not the books we were forced to read in class. Go figure.

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

The most interesting thing for me, and it’s really amazing, is when the ideas come from out of nowhere. I ask a question of myself and the ideas just start flowing.

The least interesting thing is the way it’s done -- sitting in the chair for hour after hour after hour.

How did you celebrate your first release? What was it like to see your book in a bookstore? Do you have a special ritual for celebrating a book release?

Four very good friends of mine threw me a surprise book release party when my first book came out. I thought I was attending my monthly book club meeting. What a surprise!

I’ll never forget the first time I saw one of my books in the store. My husband and I had gone out to dinner at the mall and as we passed the Borders Express, he insisted we look to see if the book, The Dark Gate from Silhouette Nocturne, was out yet. It was still nearly a week before the release date, so of course I knew it wouldn’t be there, but it was. I picked it up and just held it for a few moments, totally in awe.

I haven’t developed any kind of book release ritual as yet. Up until now, I’ve only had two books hit the shelves. Within the next two months, I’ll have four more. A trip to the bookstore is definitely on the agenda. Beyond that, I’ll have to let you know!

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

My mother loves romances, and steamy ones, so she was delighted. My dad was enthusiastically supportive, as he’s always been in anything I wanted to do, and asked me to recommend some romances, which he promptly read. My husband was far too used to seeing romance novels all over the house to be the least bit surprised.


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?

I love to read, though deadlines eat up most of my time these days. When I do have time, I read mostly paranormal romance and urban fantasy since those are the genres I love. J.R. Ward, Nalini Singh, Karen Marie Moning, Keri Arthur.

I’m not sure if anyone in particular has influenced my writing.


Your characters come to life in your books. Do you feel each of your characters live with you as you write? Do their lives sometimes take over a part of your life? Can you name an example? Do you have living role models for your characters?

I have to get to know my characters before I can write their stories, so I spend hours delving into what makes each of them tick. And, yes, they definitely live with me when I’m writing. They’re always with me, always speaking to me. While many of them possess traits of other people -- often characters in movies or television shows -- each is as unique to me as my children.


Where do you get the inspirations for your books?

Everywhere. Everything I read, see, hear, feel inspires me in some way and many of these spark ideas that eventually become books.

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

No, I rather enjoy writing the love scenes, though I have to be in the right frame of mind. Often when I’m writing, I’ll insert a notation ‘They kiss.” Or “They make love.” I’ll go back and write those scenes later.

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

Oh, tough question. That’s like asking which of my children is my favorite. SAPPHIRE DREAM, being released July 7th under my pseudonym Pamela Montgomerie, took the longest, hardest route to publication and has always been incredibly special to me. Much of what I know about story-telling I learned as I wrote that book. But I can’t get the hero and heroine of my third Feral Warriors novel, PASSION UNTAMED, out of my head. Paenther and Skye’s story touched something deep inside me and hasn’t let go.


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

Interestingly, I’d have to answer with the same two books. SAPPHIRE DREAM was by far the hardest to write. It wasn’t the first book I tried my hand at, but it was the first one that came together the way I’d envisioned. But it took me about three tries to get it right. Oddly enough, engineering degrees don’t prepare you well for writing fiction, and I had a huge amount to learn.

The easiest was PASSION UNTAMED. This story lived inside me even before I wrote the book. I knew the story, knew the characters, from the start. Plus, because Avon decided late to publish my first three Feral Warriors books back-to-back, I only had a couple of months to write it. I stepped into that world, into that story, and didn’t come out again until it was done. It was an intense, powerful writing experience.

If you could change places with one character from your books, who would it be and why?

Oh, none of them! Honestly, I put my characters through hell. They earn their happily ever afters, every one of them, and I’m much too happy in my safe, comfortable world. Although I will say, I’d love to borrow some of their immortality and their special gifts for a little while, like Hawke’s ability to shift into a bird and soar across the sky!

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

I’ve always had a fascination with Scotland and would love to travel back there for a short visit. Fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth century – all different, but any one would do. I have so many questions I’d love to get first-hand answers to. Plus, though Montgomerie is a pseudonym, I really do have Montgomerie ancestors from Ayrshire, Scotland whom I’d love to know.

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

I listen to Jesse Cook when I plot and Keiko Matsui when I write. Both are New Age Jazz and I only listen to the instrumentals. Both are fabulous and emotionally evocative for me.

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

Tough question. Honestly, I think The Dark Gate would make the best movie with its thriller premise, though I’d love to see my Feral Warriors on the big screen. As for the casting, I don’t have a clue.

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

Yes indeed, I’m working on a lot of things! I just turned in the sequel to SAPPHIRE DREAM, AMETHYST DESTINY, another Scottish time travel that will be coming out summer of 2010. I also just finished up my first Feral Warriors novella which will be part of the BITTEN BY CUPID anthology coming out in January 2010 with Lynsay Sands and Jaime Rush.

I’m now working on two books simultaneously -- the fourth book in my Feral Warriors series for Avon, RAPTURE UNTAMED, which is slated for release next summer, and the fourth book in my Esri series for Silhouette Nocturne which began with THE DARK GATE.

Thanks for having me, Danny! It was wonderful visiting here at Love Romances and More. Since I haven’t mentioned it yet, the first of my Feral Warriors novels, DESIRE UNTAMED, hits shelves today. I hope you’ll check it out!


Review of DESIRE UNTAMED

Covertext of DESIRE UNTAMED:

Kara MacAllister’s quiet small-town life is transformed forever the night a powerful stranger rips her from her home, claiming she is the chosen one – the key to his survival. Spiriting her away into the rain-soaked night, Lyon reveals a truth Kara can barely credit. She’s immortal, and the only one who can save his race. And deep within her, he arouses a fierce, primal hunger beyond anything she’s ever imagined. But only when their lives are threatened by an ancient evil will Kara and Lyon realize they have found a love they would risk their immortal souls to claim...and a powerful desire that could never, ever be tamed.