Welcome Ms. Kate Perry to Love Romances and More, thank you for joining us.
I'm happy to be here. I understand there will be cupcakes later?
Did you always want to become a writer?
No, I always wanted to be a gypsy. I was going to have my own cute little purple and red wagon with a bull named Philippe pulling it.
When I realized there'd be no plumbing, I thought I might prefer to be an ambassador. Get paid to schmooze and party in fancy clothes? Heck yeah. But now I get paid to hang out in cafés in my pajamas, which is almost as cool.
What is the most, and the least interesting fact about writing?
Um, I hate to be the one to break this to you, but there's nothing really interesting about writing. You sit your ass in a chair and type crap for hours on end. And then you spend hours trying to turn that crap into something people will want to read.
However, in my pretend world, writing is very glamorous. There are swank soirees where I get to where feather boas and long black gloves. I sip champagne all day and am fed truffles by hunky men.
How did you celebrate your first release?
Celebrate? What is this thing you call "celebrate?"
Seriously though, I need to get better about celebrating things. It's easy to get caught up in doing and not appreciating what you've accomplished.
How did your family react to fact that you write romance novels? Have your family read your book?
They scratched their heads and said "You want to do what?" But then they shrugged and accepted it like it wasn't a crazy thing to do.
My family and friends are so supportive and proud of me. I have one rule: they have to buy my books, but they don't have to read them. They do anyway. My sister is my biggest fan.
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. LOVE it. That's the reason I decided I was going to be an author.
So many great authors, so little time... Let's see, I love Chrétien de Troyes, Kate Perry, Charlaine Harris, Kate Perry, Alexandre Jardin, Katherine Kerr, Veronica Wolff, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Kate Perry, Mary Higgins Clark, Patricia Briggs, Dorothy Dunnett, Kate Perry, Linda Howard, Sidney Sheldon... Did I mention Kate Perry is pretty great?
As far as influencing my writing, I don't know that I'd say any of them influenced me in any way--my writing is my own. But I do hone my craft by reading their books. I've learned a lot about things like pacing through the masters like Mary Higgins Clark.
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?
Oh my God--I'd never live with my characters. Talk about a sure way of going insane. They can be high maintenance. And demanding.
My characters stay where they belong--on the page. That's not to say they aren't vivid in my head. I can see and hear each one like he/she is a real person.
Although, if I were going to live with a character, I'd want it to be Max from
CHOSEN BY DESIRE. Yum.
Where do you get the inspirations for your books?
Sigh. Do I have to answer this one? It's hard. Ask me something interesting. Like whether I've ever stolen a car (no) or danced in a cage (yes).
Do you find it difficult at times to write love scenes?
Only when I have to do them in the morning. Writing love scenes requires a sexier drink than tea. People look at you funny when you order wine at the café in the morning.
Do you have difficulties with deadlines?
I would tell you that I usually turn in my books weeks or months early, but then my fellow authors would hate me.
Do you prefer stand-alone books or series (As a reader or a writer) ?
Both as a reader and writer, I like series. That's not to say there aren't stand-alone books I don't love, but it's fun to follow a set of characters and get to know them over time.
If you could change places with one character from your book, who would it be and why?
I'd want to be Rhys Llewellyn from
MARKED BY PASSION. He's like Batman, only minus the latex suit. He's got money and connections and big-boy toys.
If you could travel through time to visit a special time period or famous person, what or who would it be and why?
I want to go back to California in the 1860s. Specifically around San Francisco. To visit a famous person, I think I'd choose Socrates. Or maybe Alexander the Great.
Do you listen to music while you are writing and if so what music is it?
Actually, I make a playlist for every book. It's different depending on my mood and what I feel is inspiring. For
MARKED BY PASSION, I listened almost exclusively to Nickelback. For
CHOSEN BY DESIRE, I had a mix that included Damien Rice, Seether, Tori Amos, Evanescence, and Fall Out Boy.
What is your favorite book from the books that you have written so far? Who are your favorite hero and heroine, and why?
My favorite is the one I'm working on now,
TEMPTED BY FATE, the third Guardian book. The hero and heroine in
TEMPTED are hot--alone, but especially together. Read on for a sneak peek.
Would you like to give another genre a try?
You know I write contemporary too, right? I'd like to write a historical romance too. And maybe a young adult.
Which book was the hardest to write and which the easiest?
No book is easy to write--at least not while you're writing it.
If one of your books would be a made into a movie who would you choose as the cast?
All of them would make great, lucrative movies. So if you're a producer looking for a fantastic story, give me a call. (Wink.)
I don't know--who would you cast in my books?
Big congrats to your newest released, Chosen by Desire, can you please tell us something about the book?
No,
Just kidding. Grin.
CHOSEN BY DESIRE is about a sassy historian who gets caught up in stuff that's way over her head. Including a mysterious, cool-but-hot (if you know what I mean) guy who has more secrets than a Chinese emperor's tomb. There's a chapter on
my website if you want more.
Are you working on anything right now, and can you tell us a teaser about these projects?
I'm furiously working on the third Guardian of Destiny book right now, tentatively titled
TEMPTED BY FATE. It stars Ramirez (the homicide inspector from the previous two books) and Willow Tarata, a Guardian with a conflicted past. Here's a snippet:
Willow headed right to it, reaching for the handle. But right as her hand touched it, another hand closed over hers. Frowning over her shoulder, she looked up into dark omniscient eyes.
The cop's grip on her hand tightened. "Inspector Rick Ramirez, SFPD Homicide Unit."
A faint lemony scent teased her nostrils. Like the tarata. For a moment, she felt transported back to New Zealand and running free through the bushes.
But she hadn't been there since the Bad Man had come, and the lemony scent now was overlaid with a masculine musk.
Willow shook herself. She had to concentrate here. She glanced around him. The bartender hadn't noticed her yet. She returned her attention to the cop.
"I have some questions to ask you," Ramirez said.
Virile types responded to sex, so she unleashed a smile guaranteed to distract him from work. So she ran a finger down the front of his dress shirt, stopping midway to toy with one of the buttons. "You look like you're the type of man who already has all the answers."
He looked down at her hand, and his eyes narrowed. "There was a double homicide last night in Buena Vista Park. A woman fitting your description was seen leaving the scene."
Damn it--who'd seen her? There had been no one about. He couldn't have seen her as she'd walked away. She'd taken care to mask herself. But she masked her concern with a flirtatious tilt of her head and asked, "What's my description?"
His gaze was like a caress up and down her body--long and thorough. "Five ten, thin, long blond hair."
"Tall, thin, and blond?" She chuckled, low and sexy, even though she was freaking out on the inside. "That could be anyone."
"Your hair color is distinctive. White blond."
Her hand started to go up to her ponytail before she curled it into a fist at her side. Damn it--she was supposed to be disrupting his composure, not the other way around. Eyes narrowed, she turned up the heat. "Oh, I was at a scene a couple nights ago, honey, but he was very much alive when I left this morning. Although he did say he died and went to heaven."
The cop's jaw tightened visibly. "You're claiming you weren't near Buena Vista Park yesterday?"
She felt a measure of satisfaction. Suppressing a smirk, she pressed her body to his, to hide from the bartender, who was still searching for her. "I'm not much of a nature girl, but I'd make an exception for you."
Thanks again for having me! Ask me questions and I'll do my best to answer them. I'll even try to be serious.
