Apr 19, 2024 | 2024, April 2024, Blog, Coffee With, Giveaway, Summer Hanford
Welcome to Books I Love A Latte where we provide spoiler free book reviews and share bookish content. If you’re new here, welcome. If you’re back for more fun – thank you for hanging out with us today.
Our ‘Coffee With’ is posted exclusively on our website and then shared across social media platforms by post links when we are having a cuppa and a chat in the lounge.
Continue to check the blog as we will be having new new additions to our chats, guests, and lots of fun surprises as we get ready to kick off celebrating our tenth year of bookish fun in the upcoming months. A gentle reminder if you want to make sure you don’t miss a single post please be sure to follow us on social media on your preferred platform here.
Today we are excited to have Author Summer Hanford in the lounge. Thanks for hanging out to chat about books and bookish tidbits. It’s time to grab a cuppa and settle in. My barista made me a Coconut Vanilla Latte with a drizzle of caramel.
Rae: What’s in your cuppa?
Summer: Hi Rae! Thank you so much for having me here with you. As to the content of my mug, I’m having Earl Grey tea to which I have quite scandalously added cream along with the sugar (even though I know that lemon and sugar are the only truly acceptable additions).
Rae: I find that reading is best when I have a beverage and a snack, what do you need to have for yourself when you are settling in to read?
Summer: I couldn’t agree with you more. I like to read with tea and a sweet. Generally shortbread cookies, or a slice of lemon cake.
Rae: Before we start can you tell everyone about the books you write?
Summer: I write in three genres, two of which seem similar but aren’t as much so as you would think. The dissimilar one is Epic Fantasy. The two similar ones are Regency Romance and Austenesque Variations. Regardless of genre, I love at least a bit of action and adventure, and in my two historical genres, I veer to lighthearted.
Rae: When was the moment you knew you wanted to be an author?
Summer: When I read my first novel, which was epic fantasy. I had a lot of trouble learning to write and to read. In fact, I repeated a grade because they couldn’t move me forward until I learned to do both. After several years of special classes, the letters on the page finally began to make sense. Once that happened, I was hooked. I love living inside a novel, and I can’t imagine a better way to spend my days than crafting stories that will, hopefully, be as entertaining and important to other people as many of the books I’ve read are to me.
Rae: How do you keep your historical, fantasy, classic fiction, and regency worlds from blending into the other?
Summer: There are small carryovers. There’s a lot of bowing and curtsying in all of them, as well as marriage contracts and dowries. Of course, in Regency Romance or Austenesque Variations, the marriage contracts are all about finding love, often despite the lack of a dowry. While in Epic Fantasy, marriages are born of forged alliances. For the most part, however, they are a foil to one another. Writing fantasy books about epic struggles of good and evil, punctuated by betrayal, murder, and heroism, allows me to fill my romances with the lighthearted, low angst fun my readers enjoy. I could never chop off Mr. Darcy’s head (and who would want to!), but I can cheerfully unleash a dozen wyverns on a besieged city.
Rae: Do you find it easy to switch your creative process when writing more than one genre? Is it difficult to keep your worlds separate?
Summer: I could say it’s easy but I’m not certain that’s true. Generally, I alternate book by book, meaning I don’t write more than one at the same time. When I first brought in the Austenesque novels, it was much more difficult. I recall that in two of the first books I co-authored, there was far more bloodshed than usual for the genre. That said, there’s plenty of room in the Regency and Austenesque worlds for wonderful sword fights, carriage chases, balcony scaling, and all sorts of action. It’s more in the nuance of how it’s described. Sort of like the difference between ‘closed door’ and ‘open door’ romance.
Rae: What are your writing rituals?
Summer: First, I make my tea and check my email and social media. I give myself thirty minutes for that, and then it all has to go away until lunch time, when I get another fifteen minutes. After that, it depends on the genre.
For my romance writing, I next ‘visit’ my Jacquie Lawson Country Cottage, because I have to play solitaire there. Regular solitaire simply won’t do. It’s not pretty or soothing enough. I like to win before writing but I also put a fifteen-minute time limit on that in case I’m having a terrible solitaire day for some reason.
If I’m going to write fantasy or even a fast paced, action-intensive historical, I listen to The Dragonborn Comes, performed by Malukah. If you don’t know it, it’s a wonderful, haunting piece written for a videogame. The sort with swords and dragons. The song never fails to fill my mind with the glory of how heroic individuals can reshape the world.
If for some reason none of that works, I get a second cup of tea, play a little more solitaire, and put Caribbean Blue by Enya on repeat, so softly that I can hardly hear it. I’ve mentally composed so many scenes in so many books to the sound of Caribbean Blue that it’s almost like hypnotism. In fact, all I really need to be able to write is to start playing that song in my head. I’m like Pavlov’s dogs with their bell.
Rae: Do you prefer pen and paper or type away?
Summer: I far and above prefer to type. I never did master writing with my hands very well, even with all the special classes. I can, when I’m working well, type as fast as I think the story. That said, I’m a terrible typist. When I edit, which is much slower, you wouldn’t believe the sentences I find. Actually, if you want to see some, just go to Facebook and search the hashtag #myproofreadingerrors. They’re a running joke.
Rae: When you start writing the first book in a new series do you plot out how many books there will be?
Summer: The short answer is yes. I’m a plotter through and through. I plot the number of books. I plot the number of chapters in each book. I do a brief, three-to-six-line outline of each chapter.
That said, adjustments are made along the way. Changes can happen. The opening outline is a line painted down the road, not train tracks the story is stuck on.
Rae: How extensive is your research before beginning a new story in a series?
Summer: Weirdly, more extensive for fantasy books than historical ones, at this point. I used to do a lot of historical research in the form of reading a ton in various Regency genres, going to all sorts of blogs, and buying books about the era. I’ve found that a lot of the information out there is directly contradictory. To combat that, I’ve established my norms for my novels. My readers are accepting of them. Within them, we can all enjoy the story.
For fantasy books, most of the research comes before the writing. I research languages. Ancient religions and cultures. Symbols. Plants and animals. All sorts of things. I like to do a lot of world and character building before outlining the story. Often, the world informs the characters and the plot. For example, are some of the nations landlocked? That’s often a good impetus for war, or for treaties (which brings us all the way back to marriages and dowries).
But I’m terrible about stopping my work to research. I’ve read all sorts of methods for overcoming that tendency. Now I just need a method to combat ignoring helpful methods.
Rae: What is next on the horizon?
Summer: I’m finishing the final book in my second Epic Fantasy series right now, with all the drama that goes into wrapping up six books worth of war, heroism, shifting loyalties, and treacherous gods. The first draft is exactly halfway done (plotter and all that). After that, there will be two new Austenesque books. A swashbuckling adventure and a murder mystery. Then, I have a Historical Fiction trilogy to finish and a Dracula retelling. Honestly, my to-do list writing-wise is super long. If someone likes my work and my writing style, they really don’t need to worry that they’ll ever run out of things to read.
As to events, my next in-person event will be Lori Foster’s Reader Author Get Together (RAGT) this June in Cincinnati, Ohio. I’m co-hosting the welcome party with Author Barbara Devlin Friday and Saturday, June 7th and 8th, from 3pm to 5pm, the book signings are open to the public.
Rae: Thank you so much for hanging out with me today.
Summer: Thank you again for having me. It’s been a true pleasure. I am so excited to be here.
Rae: Readers we’d love to know when you are settling in to read do you have any favorite snacks and beverages? Have a bookish question for Summer…leave it below.
1. What is your must read book? Why? I’m sure you know this is a very difficult question, and my answer is likely to change based on the day, my mood, etc. I can narrow it down to one of Anne McCaffrey’s Pern books, but I simply cannot choose amongst them. They have everything. An epic struggle to save the world. Politics. Romance. Coming of age stories. Books that will make you cry. Moments that will make you smile. A vivid, nuanced, and in-depth society that evolves throughout the history of their world. Dragons. Miniature pet dragons! As I said, everything.
2. If I visit your hometown, where are you taking me, and what’s the best place to grab a bite? I’m taking you to my family’s onetime dairy farm, now converted into a forty-acre garden. We can bring a picnic with us. We’ll want to bring food and water into the hedge maze, after all, in case we get lost.
3. What is one thing readers would be surprised to know about you? Summer is my real name. It’s my middle name, but no one calls me by my first name except telemarketers.
4. What is your guilty pleasure? Chocolate babka from Green’s in New York City.
5. What are you afraid of? Not having enough time and tidal waves.
6. Tats or No Tats? If tats, how many and what did you choose for your first one? Not a one. That’s way too much commitment for me. I can’t even commit to a genre.
7. Binge watcher or weekly viewer? Which show(s)? I like to watch The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, but a day late because I go to bed early. I watch Midsomer Murders while I’m cooking. If I’m doing goodie bags or giveaway items, I’ll put on an older film. Something funny like Clueless or Princess Bride. If I’m cleaning, I listen to Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!
8. Is there a book you have read that you would love to see made into a movie (besides yours😊)? So many! There are lots of Lori Foster or Barbara Devlin books that would make amazing movies. Also, any of the old classic fantasy books like Dragonlance, the Pern books, the Belgariad.
9. What is the one thing you cannot live without? Earl Grey tea (with cream and sugar).
10. What is the one career that gives you the shudders? Behavioral Neurologist.
11. If I opened your handbag/bag/briefcase, what item would I be shocked to see? The weirdest thing I carry around would be all the earplugs. I hate loud noise, so I almost always have earplugs. Although sometimes I’m carrying around chocolate babka.
12. What app on your phone/ipad gets the most use? Sadly, my email, and the list goes on from there, work wise. If we eliminate work related apps, since it’s spring, it’s Merlin. Merlin is an app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that listens for birdsong. It tells you what birds it hears around you, with images, so you can identify them, and it reports what birds are around you (if you let it, which I do) to help them keep track of what birds are where. I’m a little obsessed with birds, something you may notice here and there in my work. Someday I want to see the raptor migration.
ONE Grand Prize winner will be randomly selected to receive a Black Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 16 GB (This model does not have a trial of Kindle Unlimited) AND an ONE Amazon e-book of Mr. Darcys Bookshop by Summer Hanford **International winners will receive a gift card in lieu of kindle since they can’t receive a kindle**
FIVE Winners will be randomly selected to win an amazon e-book of Mr. Darcys Bookshop by Summer Hanford
FIVE Winners will be randomly selected to win a Signed Paperback of Mr. Darcy’s Bookshop by Summer Hanford **open to International readers**
GIVEAWAY is open 4/19/24 -4/27/24/ at 11:59 PM
Good luck to all!
Be sure to follow Summer Hanford on all social media platforms and Books I Love A Latte for announcement of winners.
Winners will be randomly selected and announced on the blog. An attempt will be made to contact the winners.
It is the winners responsibility to respond to notification.
If winner doesn’t claim prize within 24 hours a new winner will be drawn.
** For all giveaway rules read here.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Summer Hanford writes swashbuckling Historical Romance, best-selling Pride and Prejudice retellings, and gripping Epic Fantasy. She lives in the Finger Lakes Region of New York with her husband and compulsory, deliberately spoiled, cats. The newest addition to their household, an energetic setter-shepherd mix, has been trying for six years to gain acceptance from the cats but is adored by the humans.
Since the moment she read her first novel, Summer’s passion has always been writing. As a child growing up on a dairy farm, she built castles made of hay and wielded swords made of fence posts. She is also passionate about animals, travel, and organizing her closet. Nothing pleases her more than a row of tops broken down by sleeve length and ordered by color…except working on her latest novel with her cats in her lap, her dog lounging on the rug, and a cup of tea.
For more about Summer, visit www.summerhanford.com.
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Email: [email protected]
Mar 14, 2024 | 2024, Blog, Coffee With, Craig Richards, Evie James, March 2024
Welcome to Books I Love A Latte where we get to share books and bookish content. If you’re new here, welcome. If you’re back for more fun – thank you for hanging out with us once again. Go grab a cuppa while we settle in.
Our ‘Coffee With’ is only posted here on our website and shared across social media platforms by post links when we are in the lounge having a cuppa and a chat. We hope you enjoy our chats with the authors who have taken time to be here. Be sure to follow us on social media so you never miss what’s going on in the lounge.
Continue to check the blog as we will be having a few new additions to our chats, guests, and lots of fun surprises as we get ready to kick off celebrating our tenth year of bookish fun in the upcoming months.
Today I’m excited to share the lounge with Author Evie James and Writer and Narrator Craig Richards. Thanks for hanging out with me today to chat about books and bookish tidbits.
My barista made me a Decaf Twix Latte (toss a few chocolate chips, Hershey kisses, or whatever ya got into your mug. Brew the Latte and then add caramel syrup, hazelnut syrup. If you’re feeling a little extra … drizzle mocha and caramel sauce.)
Rae: What’s in your cuppa?
Craig: Americano with white chocolate and cream (Just a hint of the white chocolate and cream though)
Evie: I don’t drink hot drinks because when I was a little girl I received a severe burn. I do love the smell of coffee and my family loves coffee and espresso, so there is always a pot brewing.
Rae: First things first describe the type of books you write, or narrate?
Craig: With this being my first official book that I’ve written, Evie and I decided on the contemporary spicy romance genre, but I have a feeling my writing isn’t going to stop there. As far as books that I narrate, I am open to all genres. I definitely have fun narrating the spicy stuff.
Evie: Night Shift is my first contemporary romance. Previously, I have written science fiction and fantasy books under another pen name. All of my books are one hundred percent romances. I can’t imagine writing a book that doesn’t center around the romantic relationship of the characters and has a ‘happily ever after’ or ‘happy for now’ conclusion.
Rae: Craig How did you get started narrating books?
Craig: After I graduated nursing school and started working as a RN, I also decided to get back onto social media (took a nearly 10 year hiatus). People who watched and listened to the videos I posted on TikTok kept commenting on my voice. I started receiving comments about whether or not I was on Quinn. That kinda became the endgame for me, but after people started tuning in to me reading books out loud when I would go live on TikTok, I started receiving questions about narrating audiobooks. After enough encouragement, I decided to leave nursing and pursue narrating full-time.
Rae: What is your creative process when narrating a book or other project?
Craig: Admittedly, I do a terrible job of reading ahead before I begin narrating, but I have a natural inclination to tone. I adapt very well from scene to scene. One thing I do prefer is a dark setting when I’m recording. Communication is also very important, so I’m open and responsive with authors and their work, so if there is something in particular they are going for in a scene, we will discuss the tone.
Rae: Have you ever stumbled onto something that is difficult or challenging to read while staying in character?
Craig: I still find myself giggling every once in a while with words like c*ck or pu$$y, but it’s very rare when I actually stumble.
Rae: Anytime I settle in to read I need a full mug and a few tasty treats. Do you have any food necessities when cozying up with a few books?
Craig: As long as I have a warm cup of coffee or tea next to me, I’m set.
Evie: I always have a Stanly cup of water or green tea.
Rae: Regardless of what I’m reading I always have a journal, sticky notes, and colored pens for notation. What supplies do you have at the ready when you settle in to read?
Craig: For me, it’s pretty simple. I have a pen and a notepad.
Evie: As an accountant and business manager, it’s my nature to overanalyze everything. So, when I read, I try very hard to lose myself in the story and purely enjoy the experience of living alongside the characters. Reading is my go-to stress reliever, and I enjoy reading almost every genre.
Rae: When writing your books, do you prefer pen and paper or type away?
Craig: I tend to write a lot of ideas down on paper, but when it comes to writing full scenes/chapters, I go to the laptop.
Evie: I type away, but as ideas hit me or I think of something that I want to incorporate into the plot, I tend to use sticky notes and notepads. Often, ideas come at the most inopportune times, so I use my phone to email myself those thoughts.
Rae: Congratulations to both of you on the upcoming release of Night Shift. Evie you posted that it’s a Grey’s Anatomy meets Ana Huang’s Twisted Series workplace romance with delicious tropes. I watch Grey’s and have read the Twisted series and I can’t wait to read this.
When did you realize you wanted to collaborate and write Night Shift?
Craig: Evie came across some of my audios on social media and was curious if the stuff I was narrating was written by me. When I told her that I did all of my own writing, she was wondering why I hadn’t written a book yet. I blame everything on her (lol).
Evie: I approached Craig with the idea in November, and everything fell into place. He has the ideal voice for a romantic book. When you couple that with his innate creativity, the writing sparks fly.
Rae: Every author duo partnership has a different way of crafting the story, how did you navigate sorting out those tasks?
Craig: I do as I’m told. (lol)
Evie: “Lot’s of humor! Having worked in the music industry for many years, working with creative people has always come naturally to me. I have seen how collaborative efforts lead to amazing results. Songwriters often hang out in writing rooms, bouncing ideas off each other and getting their creative juices flowing. That’s how I approached Craig. He’s a very relaxed and easy-to-work- with kind of guy. From the start, we both wanted to craft a book that people would love. We began with the characters (the three brothers) and then set about writing their stories. Craig created detailed character sketches, which got the ball rolling, and from there, the plot fell into place. We wanted this book to be crafted specifically for his narration style. Through phone calls, text messages, and emails, we bounced ideas and changes off each other. This book is truly a collaboration. There are parts of it that, when I read them, I can’t help but hear Craig’s voice in my head. I would absolutely recommend that all authors try writing with a partner.”
Rae: Is it safe to assume that there will be an audio book available on or near publication day?
Craig: That’s our goal!
Evie: Absolutely. This book will be best enjoyed as a read along with the Audiobook.
Rae: While writing (or narrating) do you have any particular rituals while plotting, or writing partners while you get all the words in?
Craig: No rituals for me. I have a tendency to write from experience, so some characters might have certain characteristics or experiences from people or situations in my life.
Evie: Craig and I began with characters sketches and then outlined the plot. From there, we started writing. He would write scenes, and then I would take those and write others. Surprisingly, the flow was easy, and everything just came together. We also have a great editor, so she has helped ensure it is technically sound.
Rae: Do you create a vision board?
Craig: I am absolutely terrible with that kind of stuff, but I’m working to get better with organization. I have a tendency to fly by the seat of my pants.
Evie: Craig may think he’s terrible at that sort of thing, but in reality, he had definite ideas of famous actors who we should model the look of our characters after. So, included with each character sketch are photos we found on the internet. Craig envisioned a man who looked like Jon Hamm for the MMC right off the bat. I think I did a pretty good job making Dr. Atticus Thorin come alive based on that inspiration for the cover art.
Rae: How much research was involved before you plotted out Night Shift?
Craig: Evie is the research Queen. I just had my healthcare experience that we could build off of.
Evie: One thing I learned early on from the writing organizations of which I am a member is to write what you know. I think that might have been one of the first things I mentioned to Craig. With him being a nurse, we were drawn to making the book revolve around the medical field. A fun little tidbit about the two upcoming books is that one brother is an EMT, and the other is a nurse.
Rae: Was there an event or idea that sparked this story?
Craig: I just know how sneaky little love stories can come out of the ER, so I figured it would be an easy go-to plot.
Evie: We ran with what Craig said above.
Rae: What was the biggest obstacle while crafting this book?
Craig: I would say the co-author situation. In a perfect world, Evie and I would be able to do everything in real time, but I think we managed pretty well.
Evie: We set the goal of a March release date. Let’s just say that was a big challenge for more reasons than one.
Rae: What is next on the horizon?
Craig: Books, books, and more books!
Evie: Two more standalone books fone or each brother.
Rae: If readers want to meet up with you in person, where can they find you?
Craig: Maybe one day, there will be a book signing!
Evie: I’d love to meet the readers of this book…they would be a fun group of people to go have a beer with! ApollyCon would be a dream come true! Can you imagine the fun our readers could have if we gave them a custom, book related audio of a mini story about meeting their favorite book boyfriend at a book signing? (just a thought 😊)
Rae :Thank you so much for hanging out with me today.
Readers drop a comment below if you have any questions for Evie and Craig regarding their collaboration, the book, or just want to say hi!
–
1. What is your must read book? Why?
Craig: Harry Potter for the simple notion of nostalgia. I never want to grow up.
Evie: That’s impossible for me to say! The book that had a huge impact on me was my first chapter book: The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, by J.R.R Tolkien. The giant spiders of Mirkwood Forest changed my life.
2. If I visit your hometown, where are you taking me, and what’s the best place to grab a bite?
Craig: We are going to the Original Pancake House! And there isn’t much to do in my hometown specifically, so we would have to go to Mt. Rainier!
Evie: Nashville is a such a fun place it’s impossible to name one place to go or to eat. Nashville is great for foodies.
3. What is one thing readers would be surprised to know about you?
Craig: Probably that I’m a registered nurse.
Evie: That I’m a Certified Professional Photographer. I picked up a camera when I was sixteen and have never put it down.
4. What is your guilty pleasure?
Craig: Shin Ramen
Evie: Homemade Hummingbird Cake.
5. What are you afraid of?
Craig: Greatness
Evie: Failure
6. Tats or No Tats? If tats, how many and what did you choose for your first one?
Craig: I have two nearly complete sleeves, so and tats for sure. My first one is on my back, across the shoulders. It says courage.
Evie: No tats, but love them.
7. Binge watcher or weekly viewer? Which show(s)?
Craig: My adult ADHD doesn’t allow me to watch shows all the way through anymore. I swear I can start a series, absolutely love it, and then start something new two episodes later.
Evie: Binge watcher: The Witcher, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Mandalorian (anything Science Fiction, The 100, Virgin River. The list is long and eclectic.
8. Is there a book you have read that you would love to see made into a movie (besides yours)?
Craig: Too many to name
Evie: Ditto
9. What is the one thing you cannot live without?
Craig: Oxygen
Evie: Happy endings
10. What is the one career that gives you the shudders?
Craig: Being a CEO of a Fortune 500 company
Evie: Having started my accounting career working in a small gray cube with gray carpet and a gray desk, all within a large gray building, I’ve already lived through a job that gives me the shudders.
11. If I opened your handbag/bag/briefcase, what item would I be shocked to see?
Craig: Underwear (cause there shouldn’t be any)
Evie: Who knows what you’ll find at the bottom of my purse…it’s a black hole.
12. What app on your phone/ipad gets the most use?
Craig: Instagram
Evie: Messages on my phone and Kindle on my iPad
Evie James on Instagram
Craig Richards on Instagram
Jan 26, 2024 | Blog, Coffee With, Eva Siedler, January 2024
Rae: Welcome to the blog. With the cold days of winter still upon us I have a Mocha Almond Coconut Milk Latte with a drizzle of chocolate and caramel in my mug. What is in your cuppa?
Eva: I am still in my peppermint mocha era. One packet of peppermint hot cocoa in a huge mug of coffee with a mountain of whipped cream. I need my coffee to taste like candy and rainbows.
Rae: I find that reading is better when I can pair my book with a beverage and a tasty treat while in my cozy nook. What do you need to have for yourself when you are settling in to read?
Eva: My absolute must is my emotional support water bottle, but a truly great reading binge requires the gooseneck holder for my kindle and the little miracle device that allows me to turn pages without lifting my arm.
Rae: When you start to craft your book do you prefer pen and paper or type away?
Eva: I need a keyboard for drafting. It’s the only way my hands can keep up with my thoughts. But for editing, I go old school with printed pages and a kaleidoscope worth of colored pens and tabs and highlighters. I am an absolute office supply junkie.
Rae: Do you have any particular rituals while plotting, or writing partners while you get all the words in?
Eva: I am, much to my chagrin, a total pantser. What my little nerd heart wouldn’t give to lay out a detailed plan with all those color-coded tabs and actually stick to it. Alas, If I know exactly how the story unfolds, I lose the will to write it. But I have been lucky enough to have the same two amazing critique partners for the past fourteen years. They are the ultimate sounding boards, and just reading their writing makes me better. But owing them pages helps me remain focused.
Rae: How extensive was your research while plotting out this book adventure?
Eva: This particular book is an interesting mixture of a ton of research and yet not much at all, depending on how you look at it. I have done exhaustive research into POTS and many of the commonly co-occurring conditions in the decade since my diagnosis. I also spent six days a week in a handful of private gyms during a five-year period. Those experiences were for me, though, to help manage my chronic illness. By the time I started this book, I felt comfortable that I could to do it justice. Though I did have to google a few things about caring for a pet pig.
Rae: Congratulations on your debut novel Work It Out. It is so refreshing to read a book with chronic illness represented, I think this book is going to connect with readers. What inspired you to write
a book with a character who has POTS?
Eva: I wanted to see someone like me, someone who goes to the gym knowing the chances they fall off the equipment and end up a meme are never zero, but who goes anyway. I also wanted to push back against the classic fitness industry toxic standbys that scream things like “No excuses!” That thinking make me very sick and very hard on myself for years before I was able to accept that accommodating my body and her needs was not an excuse and the fact that I will never be able to run a marathon or even climb a flight of stairs without feeling dizzy does not make me less than. I am enough just the way I am wherever I am in my journey. It’s time I own that. Also, with POTS diagnosis on the rise, particularly in long COVID patients, I wanted to shed more light on the possible cause of symptoms women especially are told far too often are “just anxiety.”
Rae: Both Jake and Rayah have had to worth through a past layered with pain and perception from others in their community. The tenderness and care to your characters allows readers to experience the highs and lows on an intimate level while enjoying plenty of banter, scorchin heat, and a satisfying happy ever after. Were there any unplanned events or characters that you did not anticipate while crafting this story? I feel there is always one character who decides to do something unexpected 😉.
Eva: The most entertaining part of being someone who writes by the seat of my pants is how frequently my characters surprise me. With Jake, as strange as it sounds, I never quite knew what outrageous thing was going to come out of his mouth next. But I think the scene that surprised me most was when the team gathers in the kitchen for a staff meeting. I always intended for them to be a family, but the way they teased and taunted and just obviously love one another in all their own weird, awkward ways—and the seamless way Jake had slipped into the family—hit me hard.
Rae: What was your biggest obstacle while writing this book and the series?
Eva: I wrote the first draft of this book during COVID shutdown. With my chronic illness and how medically fragile other members of my family were, it was a terrifying time. There were a lot of days that it was laugh or cry. Sometimes I did both. But spending time Jake and Rayah, and sharing their antics with my critique partners, was a great way to get through.
Rae: What hero or heroine do you connect with most?
Eva: There is always more of ourselves in our characters than we intend. I expected to connect most with Jake and his potsie struggles. But I walked away more than a little obsessed with Blaine too. 😉
Rae: What is next on the horizon? Will there be more fun from Explosion?
Eva: Book two has me back in Bigbone and loving it, with possibly the last two characters you’d expect.
Rae: Thank you so much for hanging out with me today and I can’t wait for everyone to read Work It Out.
Eva: What fun questions! Thank you so much for having me.
Rae: Readers be sure to check back later today at 1PM for my review. Then, at 3 PM I’ll have an exclusive excerpt from Work It Out! Mark your calendar and be sure to check back later today.
1. What is your must read book? Why? Saving Grace by Julie Garwood. I read it for the first time over fifteen years ago, but the twist at the end of the first chapter still gives me goosebumps.
2. If I visit your hometown, where are you taking me, and what’s the best place to grab a bite? My hometown is a tiny blip, nothing but fast food for miles. My high school was literally one hundred years old and surrounded on three sides by corn fields. But Columbus is close and has so much to offer! Our zoo is one of the best in the country. For a casual lunch, you can’t go wrong with wings from Rooster’s.
3. What is one thing readers would be surprised to know about you? I am probably the shiest person you’ll ever meet. I usually blame it on growing up as an undiagnosed autistic. I love having new friends, but I’m still learning how to put myself out there to make those connections. So, if you see me out in the world or on social media, please take mercy on my poor, omnivert soul and say hi!
4. What is your guilty pleasure? Amusement Parks. It’s an entire production now with my POTS, but I love the rides.
5. What are you afraid of? Letting people down. That part of Rayah, her need to care for all her chicks in all the ways, very much comes from me.
6. Tats or No Tats? If tats, how many and what did you choose for your first one? I have one that I got on a whim right after I turned 18. Since that was in 2002, of course it’s a butterfly, though I opted for hip placement rather than lower back (thank goodness). I’m not opposed to getting more. I just have a hard time choosing!
7. Binge watcher or weekly viewer? Which show(s)? Binge! I have to know the whole story. Cliffhangers are actual torture. My all-time favorite comfort watch has to be Lucifer, though I love all things Bridgerton too.
8. Is there a book you have read that you would love to see made into a movie (besides yours 🙂 )? I am dying for the Black Dagger Brotherhood series to finally come to Passionflix! I’ve been wishing for that one for years. #ZsadistForever
9. What is the one thing you cannot live without? Writing retreats. A couple times a year, my girls and I sneak away for a weekend to work and gab and eat amazing snacks. Prioritizing that part of my life makes me a better human all the way around.
10. What is the one career that gives you the shudders? Public speaking. It sounds so cliché, and I do it sometimes. But as a daily gig, it would leave me hallowed out and stressed.
11. If I opened your handbag/bag/briefcase, what item would I be shocked to see? You’d be most shocked that I don’t carry one. I’ll carry a bag when I work away from home, but I stress too much about losing things. Most days I only carry the bare essentials.
12. What app on your phone/ipad gets the most use? Tiktok. I get sucked in to book reviews and puppy videos, and before I know it, hours have slipped by.
Eva Siedler and her sexy aircraft mechanic husband have built a crazy home in Central Ohio filled with almost as much neurodiversity as love. By day she wrangles two teenage boys with the supernatural ability to misplace anything, her POTS symptoms, and carpools. By night she writes funny, spicy love stories packed with strong, sassy heroines, big-hearted heroes, and tons of wacky small-town shenanigans.
Represented by Jordy Albert of The Booker Albert Literary Agency.
For more info on Eva Siedler you can find her here
Sep 29, 2023 | Blog, Coffee With, Dirty Dozen, Regina Kyle, September 2023
R
Rae: Welcome to the blog. With fall just around the corner I’m having a Spiced Almond Milk Latte with a drizzle of caramel in my mug. What is in your cuppa?
Regina: Well, I’m kinda weird in that I love to drink iced coffee year-round. Decaf, with 2% milk and more artificial sweetener than I care to admit LOL.
Rae: I find that reading is best when I have a beverage and a snack, what do you need to have for yourself when you are settling in to read?
Regina: I’ve been on a health kick this past year, walking more and eating healthier. Right now one of my favorite snacks is coconut chunks. Sweet and tasty and easy to snack on without making a mess while I read (or write).
Rae: In a few words, can you describe the type of books you write?
Regina: I think Kristan Higgins said it best when she inadvertently gave me my tag line: fast, sassy, and laugh-out-loud funny.
Rae: When was the moment you knew you wanted to write “steamy romance with heart and humor?”
Regina: I had just gotten an e-reader and was devouring free books on Amazon and from my local library. One of the books I got from Amazon was Leslie Kelly’s Slow Hands, a Harlequin Blaze.I was like wow, this is so not my mother’s Harlequins LOL. I read through her backlist and a lot of other Blaze books by authors like Jo Leigh, Tawny Weber, Samantha Hunter, and Sarah Mayberry. I knew then that those were the kind of books I wanted to write, and I was lucky enough to get a contract writing for the Blaze line two years later.
Rae: What are your writing rituals? Do you prefer pen and paper or type away?
Regina: I’m definitely a typing kind of gal. I write in a program called Scrivener which lets me organize my scenes into chapters and has a corkboard where I can pin inspirational pictures. I’m almost attached to my MacBook Air, which, sadly, is in the shop right now for a few days. Meaning I’m typing this in Word on a PC and it’s killing me!
Rae: The attention to details in your books provides a reader with a story filled with adventure, drama, and yes, a bit of spicy heat. If you could go back and chat with your 2014 self when you released your debut book, what words of wisdom or advice would you offer?
Regina: So much has changed in publishing in the just over ten years that I’ve been writing. I think I’d tell myself to not take anything for granted and celebrate every victory, no matter how small, because some days it seems like they are few and far between.
Rae: When you start writing the first book in a new series do you plot out how many books there will be?
Regina: Sometimes yes, sometimes no. My first series for Blaze was always four books. My Worthington Sisters series for Entangled was originally three books, but we couldn’t agree on the plot for the first book, so we ended up contracting for just two. I have a single title series that I’ve been noodling for a while that started as three books in my head, but then one of the second characters I hadn’t intended writing a book for started screaming for her own story, so now it’s four.
Rae: How extensive is your research before beginning a new story in a series?
Regina: That depends. My first book Triple Threat was set in the world of theater, a world I’m very familiar with having performed on stage since I was ten years old and then being the parent of a professional child actor (my daughter was in the national touring production of Mary Poppins). One of my two current works in progress, Close Quarters, is set in the world of Formula One racing, and I’ve had to do a lot more research for that one than I typically do. I did some before writing, but as I write I always find that more questions pop up in my effort to be as true to the real racing world as possible.
Rae: What is next on the horizon? I hear you might be working on a new series that involves Formula One and is a M/M romance? Perhaps a Mediterranean Millionaire? Can you share more with us?
Regina: Yes and yes. The second book in the Mediterranean Millionaires series has been a long time coming, I know. Truth be told, I had a very difficult couple of years mental health wise, but thankfully am back on track again thanks to a great therapist and supportive family. Side note: if you’re struggling, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. By far one of the best things I have ever done. Anyway, long story short, I turned in Miguel’s story, How Not To Marry A Millionaire, to my editor, and now we are in the process of doing some extensive revisions that are painful but I know is going to make this book better and exactly what I want it to be. Meanwhile, I’m also in the final stages of drafting Close Quarters, a MM romance set in the exciting, fast-paced world of Formula One racing. This one is proving to be a blast to write and has definitely helped me regain my mojo. It’s a grumpy/sunshine age gap romance between a rookie driver and his grizzled crew chief, and it’s part of a shared world with two other amazing authors that I met while writing in Sarina Bowen’s Vino and Veritas world, Victoria Denault and Leslie McAdam. We hope to release in October or November.
Rae: Were there any unplanned events or characters that you did not intend on while crafting these story?
Regina: Well, there are always unplanned events in my stories, as I usually plot out only the major plot points and let a lot of the stuff in between happen organically as I write. For example, in Dirty Work, one of my favorites of the books I have written, the whole Ferris Bueller theme was not originally planned. What I did plan was that they would attend Hudson River Flicks, where they show movies in Hudson River Park in New York City. When I researched what kinds of movies were typically shown, I learned that they show a lot of family-friendly 1980s flicks, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off was the first movie that came up when I Googled 80s movies. Then when I went to write Jake and Ainsley’s interaction in that scene, I realized that their reaction to the movie would be very different and essentially a reflection of the main conflict in the book: workaholic Jake would view Ferris as a slacker, while reformed workaholic Ainsley would view him as a role model. That wound up leading to an argument that foreshadowed the black moment and even changed what the grand gesture was going to be.
Rae: What was your biggest obstacle while writing these books?
Regina: Well, to be honest, my mental health struggles. As a major extrovert, the pandemic was particularly hard on me. Combine that with day job pressures and family changes (my daughter moved across the country), and I found it hard to write for a time. And what I did produce was not up to the standard I wanted. I’m happy to say that I’ve rediscovered the joy in my writing and am regularly getting words down again, and I have several projects in various stages of development for once Close Quarters and the final two Mediterranean Millionaire books are done, including a super-secret single title series and a gay holiday romcom.
1. What is your must read book? Why? Rachel Reid’s Heated Rivalry. Textbook example of enemies to lovers. And Ilya Rosonov is one of the most well-developed characters I’ve ever read. A complex chaos gremlin who just sticks with you. He and Shane get a second book, too, The Long Game. Both are must reads for me, and I reread them often. No cliffhangers: they get their HFN in one book and their HEA in the second.
2. If I visit your hometown, where are you taking me, and what’s the best place to grab a bite? You’ll definitely have to come in the summertime so we can take you out on our boat, Casting Call, to the Thimble Islands. After a day of relaxing, noshing, drinking, swimming, and gawking at the beautiful island homes, we’d go to our favorite Italian place, Rosso Vino, for a fabulous meal including the best Caesar salad I’ve ever eaten. I swear, I don’t know what they put in their dressing, but it is the best!
3. What is one thing readers would be surprised to know about you? I don’t know about surprised, as I’m pretty much an open book online LOL. Some people are surprised to learn that my day job is as an assistant district attorney. I’ve been an amateur actress since the age of ten, and after a long hiatus have started performing again in the past few years. (Favorite show to be in: Mamma Mia. I played Rosie, one of the Dynamos.)
4. What is your guilty pleasure? I don’t really have a pleasure I feel guilty about. Although I have watched Red, White, and Royal Blue way more times than I want to admit. And it’s entirely possible that all of my heroes in the foreseeable future will bear a striking resemblance to Taylor Zakhar Perez.
5. What are you afraid of? Any and everything creepy and crawly. Bugs. Spiders.
6. Tats or No Tats? If tats, how many and what did you choose for your first one? None, but I’m not ruling out getting one.
7. Binge watcher or weekly viewer? Which show(s)? Binge when I can. Right now hubby and I are working I way through Good Omens and Only Murders In The Building. I also recently binged Heartstopper and Young Royals, and I’m reliving the 1980s and 1990s by rewatching LA Law, which was big when I was in law school.
8. Is there a book you have read that you would love to see made into a movie (besides yours)? Well, since I’ve been reading a lot of MM romance lately, and since I think there needs to be more queer representation in media, I’m going to say Nic DiDomizio’s The Gay Best Friend. Super fun romcom that I can totally picture on the big screen.
9. What is the one thing you cannot live without? My MacBook Air LOL. As I said earlier, I’m dying here without it!
10. What is the one career that gives you the shudders? Teaching. Not because I think badly of it. To the contrary, it’s an honorable and amazingly difficult and challenging profession. My husband is a high school psychics teacher, and honestly I don’t know how he does it. It takes a lot of patience and understanding, especially in today’s environment. I just know I don’t have the temperament for it.
11. If I opened your handbag/bag/briefcase, what item would I be shocked to see? A stash of Royal Caribbean pens and highlighters. I love cruising, and am the queen of cruise trivia, where they give pens and highlighters as prizes. I’m also the proud winner of Dancing With The Stripes on my last cruise, where they paired passengers with crew members. My partner was a lifeguard from the Maldives, and we totally rocked it! I didn’t get a pen for that one, though, but I did get dinner for two at one of the specialty restaurants and a bottle of champagne.
12. What app on your phone/ipad gets the most use? It’s a three-way tie between Kindle, Hoopla, and Libby.
Rae: Thank you so much for hanging out with me today.
Regina: Thanks for having virtual coffee with me!
Regina Kyle knew she was destined to be an author when she won a writing contest at age 10 with a touching tale about a squirrel and a nut pie. By day, she writes dry legal briefs, representing the state in criminal appeals. At night, she writes steamy romance with heart and humor. She is a three-peat winner of the Booksellers’ Best award: in 2016 for Triple Dare, 2018 for The Billionaire in Her Bed, and 2020 for Dirty Work.
A lover of all things theatrical, Regina lives on the Connecticut coast with her husband and a highly destructive cat with an unfortunate (read: profane) nickname. When she’s not writing, she’s most likely singing, reading, cooking, rooting for her beloved Pittsburgh Penguins, or watching bad reality television
For more info on Regina Kyle you can find her:
Website: https://reginakyle.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ReginaKyleauthor
Instagram: www.instagram.com/romancebyregina
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@romancebyregina
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8144022.Regina_Kyle
Apr 25, 2023 | April 2023, Blog, Coffee With, Janna MacGregor
Rae: Welcome to the blog. With the cold days of spring still upon us, I have an Almond Coconut Milk Latte with a drizzle of chocolate and caramel in my mug. What is in your cuppa?
Janna: Puerto Rican blend double espresso.
Rae: I find that reading is best when I have a beverage and a snack; what do you need to have for yourself when you are settling in to read?
Janna: I try not to eat when I read, but it never fails that I get the munchies. My go-to? Popcorn.
Rae: In a few words, can you describe the type of books you write?
Janna: I write historical romances set in the Regency period. I describe my characters as compelling and powerful heroines who meet and fall in love with their equally matched heroes.
Rae: When was the moment you knew you wanted to write Regency Romance?
Janna: I was in an email chat with Eloisa James, and she said I should write a romance. That totally convinced me to try and write a book.
Rae: What are your writing rituals? Do you prefer pen and paper or type away?
Janna: I try to write on my Mac between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. I can’t write past that. But many times, I will use pen and paper to sketch the next day’s scene or chapter. It makes my writing go way faster if I do that.
Rae: The attention to details in your books provides a reader with a story filled with adventure, drama, and yes, a bit of spicy heat. If you could go back and chat with your 2017 self when you released your debut book, what words of wisdom or advice would you offer?
Janna: Don’t sweat the small stuff. Everything works out for a reason.
Rae: When you start writing the first book in a new series do you plot out how many books there will be?
Janna: Yes, I do. My publisher wants to see what my plans are for the new series. I need to decide early on what the character and story arcs are for each book. For instance, in the Widow Rules series, I had decided that it would be a three-book series featuring three women who were married to the same deceased man. I’d been working on the series concept for a couple of years before presenting it to my publisher.
Rae: How extensive is your research before beginning a new story in a series?
Janna: It depends upon the series. For my first series, the Cavensham Heiresses, I researched everything, then double-checked it after I’d written it. In the Widow Rules series, I did some pretty thorough research on the Regency-era bigamy laws and the punishment if a person was found guilty. Plus, I had to reread my research on the marriage laws to ensure that the two “illegitimate wives” marriage ceremonies were not legal. But the rest of it? I researched as I wrote. Sometimes, I find all sorts of tidbits that I can incorporate into the series. Plus, it always helps to have author friends who are experts on the subjects!
Rae: I devoured How to Best a Marquess in one sitting. Without giving too much away, you know I hate spoilers 😉, this series was exciting and suspenseful in the way you took the reader through the ups and downs of all that happened. Three strangers are thrown together due to the unthinkable actions of one person, and now they must help each other to avoid scandal and public humiliation. How do you develop such unique characters to make them so different from each other to move the story along as plotted?
Janna: This is a great question! I had to start with the concept of a man who married three women practically at the same time. Why would he do that, and what was he looking for? From there, that gave me the idea of three strong women from different social and economic ranks in society. It would be easier to hide whom the trigamist married if they weren’t from his same social circle.
Rae: While each book is deliciously written as a standalone, I love the way you weave these three characters in and out of the other books. It is so refreshing as a reader to revisit familiar characters, especially when the story ends, and we want to know more. Were there any unplanned events or characters that you did not intend on while crafting this story?
Janna: There was, actually. A reader asked me early on if I planned on writing the age-gap romance between A Duke in Time’s Katherine Vareck’s maid and Christian, the Duke of Ranford’s valet. (The valet is younger than the maid.) I hadn’t planned on putting them in the other books. But the couple had their own ideas. Hence, their romance is mentioned throughout all three books. I’ll let your readers discover what their HEA is.
Rae: What was your biggest obstacle while writing this book and the series?
Janna: The biggest obstacle was with book 2, Rules for Engaging the Earl. I had to write it twice. The first draft was a very dark story. I was in a bad place because of the pandemic. So, I asked my editor for more time. She graciously said yes, so I rewrote it. Frankly, I’m in love with how Jonathan, the Earl of Sykeston, and Constance Lysander’s story turned out. It’s heartfelt, and there is a lot of humor in it as well.
Rae: What hero or heroine do you connect with most?
Janna: I love all the women in this series. They’re strong and independent, and through no fault of their own, they were duped. But they all came together to help each other out. Their friendship is better defined as a sisterhood, in my opinion. They created their own family, and I love that about them.
Rae: What is next on the horizon?
Janna: I’m currently writing two books at the same time. One is for my new publisher, and the other is a series I’m creating based on a character in How to Best a Marquess. His name is the Duke of Pelham, and I’m having a blast writing his story and his sisters’ stories.
Rae: Thank you so much for hanging out with me today, and I can’t wait for everyone to read How to Best a Marquess.
Janna: Thank you so much for having me here. Thank you for all your kind words!! xoxo
1. What is your must read book? The Takeover by TL Swan. I laugh and cry every time I read or listen to this story by TL Swan. Why? I’m a sucker for bad-boy billionaire romances, and this one hits my sweet spot sooo much. This is another age-gap romance where the woman is older, and she is a widow with three boys. The trials and tribulations that the male protagonist has to go through to win her heart are perfection!
2. If I visit your hometown, where are you taking me, and what’s the best place to grab a bite? Minneapolis-I’m taking you on a walk around the Mississippi River trails that wind through the heart of the city. Our restaurant is Bar La Grassa. It’s the best Italian restaurant around.
Kansas City-We’re heading to the Liberty Memorial Museum, the only WW One museum in the nation, then we’re heading straight to the Negro Leagues Museum. Here’s a quote from the organization: The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) is the world’s only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of African-American baseball and its impact on the social advancement of America.
The late, great Buck O’Neil was a huge part of that history.4/
You can’t visit Kansas City without tasting great barbeque. Around the corner from the Negro Leagues Museum, we’re going to Arthur Bryant, the home of burnt ends.
3. What is one thing readers would be surprised to know about you? I’m turning into a football fan. Always before, it was baseball all the way for me!
4. What is your guilty pleasure? Fletcher’s ice cream in Minneapolis.
5. What are you afraid of? Wasps
6. Tats or No Tats? If tats, how many and what did you choose for your first one? No tats, but I wish I did.
7. Binge watcher or weekly viewer? Which show(s)? Can’t claim to be either. I don’t watch a lot of tv except news shows.
8. Is there a book you have read that you would love to see made into a movie (besides yours😊)? Kerrigan Byrne’s The Highwayman
9. What is the one thing you cannot live without? Coffee
10. What is the one career that gives you the shudders? Epidemiologists – They always seem to be delivering bad news.
11. If I opened your handbag/bag/briefcase, what item would I be shocked to see? 3-4 tubes of lipstick. Love the stuff and I always want variety in my colors.
12. What app on your phone/ipad gets the most use? Kindle
Rae: Thank you for hanging out today. Readers for more info on Janna MacGregor you can find her at the links below in her bio.
Janna: Thank you, Rae! Thank you to your readers as well!!! Xoxo
** Closed **
Congratulations Brenda D. Your name was randomly selected. Please e-mail your snail mail address.
Thank you.
I hope everyone has now had a chance to read all of the books in this series!
***
ONE lucky reader in the U.S. will win a fabulous giveaway from Janna MacGregor.
The prize is one finished mass market paperback edition of the first book in the series, A Duke in Time.
To be entered, comment on the blog and tell me…
What is your favorite destination for a road trip?
Good luck to all!
** GIVEAWAY CLOSES APRIL 28, 2023 AT 11:59 PM. WINNER WILL BE POSTED ON THE BLOG.
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Janna MacGregor was born and raised in the bootheel of Missouri. She credits her darling mom for introducing her to the happily-ever-after world of romance novels. Janna writes stories where compelling and powerful heroines meet and fall in love with their equally matched heroes. She is the mother of triplets and splits her time between Kansas City and Minneapolis with her very own dashing rogue, and one smug, but not surprisingly, perfect pug. She loves to hear from readers.
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Mar 29, 2023 | Blog, Coffee With, March 2023, Samantha Chase
Rae: Welcome back Samantha Chase to the blog. With spring on the horizon I have an Almond Caramel Coconut Milk Latte with drizzles of caramel and white chocolate in my mug. In honor of your book release my barista baked up a batch of peanut butter blondies and chocolate covered strawberries. What is in your cuppa?
Samantha: I am a very boring drinker and it is straight up hot cocoa for me!
Rae: Cocoa sounds yummy! I find that reading is best when I have a beverage and a snack, what do you need to have for yourself when you are settling in to read?
Samantha: Normally I’m reading in bed and snacking and drinking there is a big fat no-no. However…if I’m feeling sassy and in the mood for a mid-day read, I am all about some cookies. Wegman’s has these double chocolate ones called Chocolate Indulgence and let me tell you, I am HERE for them. They are the perfect snack when I’m reading.
Rae: Ok, those really do sound delish. I’ll have to look for them the next time I’m at Wegmans. In a few words, can you describe the type of books you write?
Samantha: Okay… I write contemporary romances that are hotter than sweet, sweeter than hot. That’s my tagline. But people still mistake that to mean that I write clean or sweet, and that’s not exactly true. There is definitely some steam on the page, but we fade to black for the good stuff 😉
Rae: Samantha is here to dish all things Shaughnessy as we celebrate the release of One More Chance which hit shelves yesterday. While writing One More Chance what songs were on your playlist?
Samantha: Thanks for having me on the blog! So…this series was greatly inspired by the music of Bon Jovi and I went back there for Mick’s book, as well. The song that really was a standout for Mick and Sienna was “Bed of Roses”, but I do have an entire Band on the Run playlist on Spotify.
Rae: Great song list, readers click on that link. How much research and travel was involved before crafting Mick’s story?
Samantha: I didn’t do any traveling while writing, but I did a lot of research and some of the places I had been to in the past and drew from my own experience. I was born and raised on Long Island and spent a lot of time in Manhattan so to have the story kickoff there was me just using the familiar. When they went to Memphis, I had to do the research because I’ve never been – but it’s on my bucket list! Vegas, L.A., San Francisco are all cities I’ve traveled to, as well.
Rae: Will there be more books for The Shaughnessy’s or Band on the Run? I feel like there could be another epilogue or novella somewhere down the line, maybe Christmas time?
Samantha: So…if it were up to me, there would be more books. I actually introduce two potential stories in this book, but I won’t write them unless there is a huge demand for them. As vocal as fans of this series were about wanting Mick’s story, preorders weren’t great so I’m not sure how release week is going to play out. As for a bonus epilogue, the special edition paperback (which will be available in a few weeks) will have one.
Rae: You recently shared that you got the rights back to many of your books and recently re-published thirty-two books. Wow, thirty-two. What was your process to make sure all the details were managed? Did you have to create new book covers, what was that process like?
Samantha: I think I still have PTSD from the experience! LOL! I kind of thrive on chaos. I got the rights back the week before Christmas so…that meant nothing was going to get done until the first of the year. I didn’t get clean files back so every single book had to be re-edited, re-formatted from PDF to a Word doc, re-proofed, new covers…it was just all SO much. On top of that, I had a new release schedule in place for 2022 that I needed to stick to. It literally took a village to get it all done. I had three people for each step that needed to be done – except the covers. I have one cover artist and she was AMAZING. And while it was fun to design new covers, it was a lot of work. I had a giant dry erase board in my office that kept me on task.
Rae: Did you make any minor edits or changes to any of those books?
Samantha: Most of the books just got minor edits – things that my previous publisher missed, but I did add content to two of the Montgomery Brothers books – WAIT FOR ME and TRUST IN ME – because they were shorter and I just felt like they needed a little more. Everything else I had to just let go otherwise these books never would have gotten back up on retail sites.
Rae: In the midst of all that re-publishing, you were writing new books as well. Was there one story during this process where the characters decided they had a different story to tell and took you on a different path than the one you envisioned?
Samantha: Since I’m not big on plotting/planning my books, most times I’m surprised where my characters go. Lol! It makes writing so much fun when you don’t put yourself in a box and try to force the characters to behave a certain way. However…my father passed away in February last year (completely unexpected) and we hadn’t spoken in several years. We did get to have those last two weeks of his life to make our peace with one another and I was the only one in the room with him when he died. A month later, I started writing KISS THE GIRL (Magnolia Sound’s final book). I always knew that book was going to deal with a character’s death. I knew that from the moment I started writing the series. I just didn’t realize how much that character’s death and his relationship with his children was going to mirror my own relationship with my dad. So it was a VERY emotional journey and very cathartic for me because I got to say a lot of things in the book, that I never got to say with my dad.
Rae: What was it like to sit down and write Micks story? This story, it was one that I have been waiting for and it was amazing.
Samantha: Years ago – when the original series ended – I really thought I was good with ending it at three books. Readers asked for Mick’s book, and I just sort of figured it would be a bonus, short story somewhere down the road. Last year I was part of a small town promo group and I wrote a short version of this book – it was only 20K words. Well, after readers read it, they wanted a more fleshed-out story so the 20K book got expanded to 72K words! And I was really glad that I did because we got to really dig deep into what was motivating Mick and Sienna to finally take this chance at this point in their lives. Mick’s in his mid-40s and Sienna’s only a few years younger. Love doesn’t only happen in your 20s 😊
Rae: So true! Without spoiling too much, you sprinkled a few beloved characters in a unique and clever way. What made you decide to blend both worlds and revisit the gang?
Samantha: Back when the Band on the Run series was released, I don’t feel my publisher did a good job of promoting that it was a spin-off of The Shaughnessy Brothers series. They gave the covers a completely different look and it wasn’t until the series was over that someone was like, “Oh, should we have put that on the cover?” If ever you want to do a blog on what NOT to do when working with a publisher, I’ll gladly contribute.
Anyway, being that I could do anything I wanted with this story, I wanted to give readers a chance to get updates on as many past characters as I could. And if they are just now finding this series with ONE MORE CHANCE, they can know that there are ten other books for them to read! Lol! The Shaughnessys were such a great family, and the band wouldn’t be here without them, so it just seemed right to check in with them all.
Rae: Speaking of the guys, they have been patiently waiting, should we bring them in?
Samantha: ABSOLUTELY!!!
Rae: Welcome back Riley Shaughnessy, it has been a while since you were here. The last time you were here was back in 2017 and 2016 when your siblings were kind enough to join you. (Readers you can check out those here … Coffee With the Shaughnessy’s Holiday Spice (2017), Samantha Chase Blitz Day 2: Coffee With the Shaughnessy Brothers (December 2016), and Samantha Chase Blitz – Day 2: Coffee With Samantha Chase and The Shaughnessy Family (June 2016)) I hope they are all doing well. I am thrilled the Shaughnessy gang’s all here. Matt Reed, Dylan Anders, Julian Grayson and Agent and Manager Mick Tyler, thank you for being here. Welcome.
I hope everyone had a chance to grab a cuppa at the bar, my barista told me he crafted a few new drinks in your honor. I like to start with a little bit of trivia questions … think of it as an opening act, Mick these questions are for you too.
Rae: You created a spotify playlist – Who are you listening to?
Mick: Thanks for having us here, Rae! If I’m looking for comfort, I tend to listen to something a little softer. And not just ballads, I really enjoy listening to soft jazz or even the old crooners like Sinatra. If I’m on the road, my list is primarily acts that I’m considering representing or I’ll choose whoever is popular right now to get a feel for what fans are looking for. And when we’re all together and hanging out, I like listening to the groups I represent – and primarily, Shaughnessy. (Winks)
Rae: What is the one app on your phone that gets used the most?
Mick: Instagram. Gotta make sure my clients are getting seen!
Rae: Home cooked or Door Dash?
Mick: I do enjoy when Sienna and I sit down to something we cooked together, but we’re both so busy that we use Door Dash more often than not.
Rae: Salty or sweet?
Mick: Oh, definitely sweet!
Rae: Book, Audiobook, or Podcast? Last one you read or listened to?
Mick: At night, Sienna and I love to read while we’re in bed and both tend to gravitate toward ebooks. When we travel – especially in the car – we sometimes pop in an audiobook, but primarily enjoy listening to Podcasts. The last one I listened to was Bandsplain which essentially is like a very polished version of those wee-hours conversations you have with your best music buddies. Definitely a good listen.
Rae: How often do you meet up, as a band – in the studio, just hanging out, or on the road? When you meet up is it easy for the wives to join- I hear they are friends as well?
Riley: My family and Dylan’s are still primarily set in L.A. so we get together fairly often.
Matt: Vivienne and I are east coasters all the way, but we go out to L.A. probably every three months or so for the sole purpose of getting together to jam or record.
Julian: Yeah, Charlotte and I made the move to the east coast and we spend most of our time there unless there’s something going on with the band.
Dylan: Paige and I are the last holdouts on getting a vacation home on the east coast. (laughs) And because these guys all have houses, we just crash with one of them!
Riley: We’re contemplating having to get a bigger place with a guest house just for Dylan and Paige…
Dylan: It’s not like we’re there that often, dude…
Julian: He can practically claim you as a dependent.
Mick: Alright, everybody play nice!
Riley: As for our wives, they are the best of friends and are thrilled to have Sienna as part of their group. We’re all fairly blessed that everyone gets along and genuinely likes each other.
Dylan: It’s true. We’ve only done one major tour in the last several years and it was a true family affair – wives, kids, and dogs!
Mick: Do not even get me started on the dogs…
Julian: Normally, I’d prefer to stay at a house – Airbnb or something instead of a hotel just for the sake of the dogs – but when you’re only staying for a night or two, it’s just not as practical.
Rae: What are the chances we might see Shaughnessy on tour or in the studio this year?
Riley: We’re currently in the studio right now and trying to get the last few songs done on this album.
Matt: I’m the reason we’re rushing. Vivienne’s pregnant and as much as she doesn’t mind being away from home, I think right now she’d prefer it.
Dylan: I think we’re all…I don’t want to say rushing, but we understand. We worked out a lot of the stuff before getting into the studio, so things are moving at a good pace.
Julian: We’ve been doing this together for so long, and we talk to each other so often, that it feels more like we’re putting the finishing touches on it all once we hit the studio. We each have studio space in our homes, so even when we’re not together, we’re working on the music in our own spaces. Vivienne will be sleeping in her own bed in no time.
Rae: Do your kids know how famous you all are?
Riley: My kids know it, and our oldest daughter – Aislynn – tries to use it to her advantage at school! Last week Savannah and I got called in because she tried to bargain with her Science teacher…she wanted to give him tickets to the next Shaughnessy show if she didn’t have to dissect a frog!
Mick: (laughing) I love that kid.
Dylan: Dude, that’s brilliant! But I’ll probably aske someone else to babysit next time we’re in town. I can’t have her giving my boys any ideas.
Julian: Our kids are still a little too young to fully understand it, but we really try to downplay it at home. We just want to live a normal life.
Matt: This is going to be our first baby, and I haven’t mentioned it. (wink)
Dylan: I started telling my boys as soon as they were born! Bedtime stories were all about the band and places we’d toured.
Riley: Dude, seriously?
Dylan: What? It’s not like I was talking about groupies or anything…
Julian: Does Paige know? I’ll bet you like a thousand dollars that she has no idea those were the bedtime stories!
Dylan: NEXT QUESTION!!
Rae: I love watching the evolution of bands as they transition from wild days of dating to finding their person and settling down, some might even say driving a minivan too? Do you think any of your children might dip their toes in the music industry? Would you be ok with that?
Julian: I wouldn’t say I’d forbid it, but…I certainly wouldn’t encourage it. This business is hard and it not always a safe space, you know?
Matt: (sighs loudly) For the love of it, you can’t still be this uptight.
Julian: (shrugging) I can be whoever the hell I want. But if either of our kids showed an interest on their own – with no prompting from me or Charlotte – I’d be sure to be there to guide them.
Riley: I think we’d all want to be there for our kids – especially in this industry. Not that I want to get into the whole Nepo Baby debate, but if other people saw that they had talent, I’d want to encourage them.
Matt: Whatever they want to do, I’ll encourage.
Rae: If you could take time off, switch gears for a bit, where would you be and what would you be doing?
Julian: I’d love to rent a place that is quiet and where we could just sort of go unnoticed. There’s a small town in England that I stayed in years ago that I always promised Charlotte I’d take her to. So…
Riley: One of my brother Hugh’s resorts. Hands down. I don’t even think I care which one, just…go and relax and drink some fantastic wine and eat some amazing food.
Matt: Vivienne’s folks live in Paris and we’ve gone there to visit multiple times, but I think I’d love to go and see them and then go on to Italy and just walk around and see the sites and eat the food. Viv used to be a food blogger so I think she’d love that too. So much of our time is spent doing stuff related to my job, that I’d love to do something that I know was just for her.
Dylan: Aww…
Matt: Shut up. What would you do?
Dylan: Time off and not doing anything music related? I’d love to be sitting on the beach somewhere tropical and maybe doing some fishing. I’d love to teach the boys how to do it – catch out own dinners, clean the fish…I think that would be a blast!
Mick: Until Paige had to come and clean fish guts off of everyone, right?
Dylan: Well…maybe.
Rae: Mick, what is it like knowing this band is stronger than ever in light of the obstacles along the way? I know you went above and beyond to support them through some rather tough times.
Mick: The five of us have been through…everything together. I don’t look at Riley, Julian, Matt, and Dylan as clients. They’re family. And you do whatever it takes to make sure you’re family is happy and healthy. I look at these guys now and it still blows my mind how far we’ve come. And the thing is, it’s not all one-sided. These guys have been there for me, as well.
Riley: We’re brothers.
Matt: Definitely.
Julian: Absolutely.
Dylan: There isn’t anything we wouldn’t do for each other.
Rae: Without divulging the identity of anyone, what is the craziest request you ever had for a client – on tour or just in general?
Mick: Oh, good Lord…sometimes it amazes me what people ask for. The craziest was a certain diva who insisted that her entire dressing room be done in hot pink silk and chandeliers, along with a seafood bar with enough food to feed a dozen people at every stop. She never shared the food with anyone except her boyfriend and her mother, and most of the food got thrown out.
There was another request that was…unusual. A client – whenever we toured down in Australia or New Zealand – insisted that he have a day with no responsibilities so he could have the time with…penguins. (Nods) He loved spending time with them in their native environments and…
Dylan: TWICE! I asked to do it TWICE! Geez!
(Everyone laughs hysterically)
Rae: Mick – Did you ever think of walking away from all of this or focusing on less talent? It seems like with Shaughnessy it’s more than just being their agent and manager, what do you attribute that to? Were there any moments in the past you thought they may not make it as a group?
Mick: I knew from the moment Riley Shaughnessy walked up on the stage in that dive bar that he was going to be a star. All of them. I spent almost a year combing the clubs in Hollywood and every night I’d leave disgusted. The night I saw these guys? It was obvious immediately that they had talent. They were the first band I signed and they are the gold standard that I held other acts to for a long time. Then I had to remind myself that different acts bring different…magic, you can say, to their music.
I’ve dealt with smaller acts and bands/singers who weren’t nearly as talented as I wanted them to be. Some were one-hit wonders, some lasted a little longer, but I have always believed in doing what I can to nurture the talent. Does it always pay off? No. But if I see even a small spark of something, I’m willing to give them a try.
But back to these guys…like I said, I just knew from the moment I saw them that they were different. I feel like we all kind of grew up together – we learned this business together – and we navigated it all together. I made mistakes and they forgave me, they made mistakes, and I did the same. We all genuinely like and respect each other. But…like any family, sometimes we fight and say or do things we shouldn’t. At the end of the day, though, we talk it out.
Riley: Mick’s the king of tough love. We all hate it when it’s focused on us, but ultimately, I think I can speak for all of us when I say that once we calm down, we know he’d never do anything to hurt us. There’s a trust there that…I don’t know…it was just there from day one.
Rae: Riley, after sitting here and talking with you guys I can see how much you genuinely care for each other. It’s why fans are so enamored and devoted, you guys are the real deal.
Ok, Mick, this one’s for you… If you had the opportunity to have dinner with one person, past or present who would it be and why?
Mick: Ooo…I feel like I should say something music related like Brian Epstein – who managed the Beatles. But I don’t know if it would be to learn from him or to maybe brag about how well I’ve done for myself. (laughs) My whole life has been about this path – this industry – and I’ve had the opportunity to sit and eat with a lot of my idols. But if I had to pick one, I’d really love for it to be the late Freddie Mercury. That voice…I still get chills.
Rae: Mick, I’ve asked so many people that question and I don’t think I’ve ever had the same answer. That sounds like it would be a fabulous dinner!
Before we go, for all of those young music dreamers out there, what is one piece of advice you could give them that you wish you had received when you first started in this business all those years ago?
Mick: Persevere. It doesn’t happen overnight. Don’t sell yourself short and listen to the critics with a grain of salt. Not everyone has your back.
Riley: Definitely persevere, and remember to always be good to the fans. They’re the reason you have a career. Don’t screw it up by being a jerk to them.
Matt: Know your limitations. We’re all not going to be Jagger, Jackson, or Mercury, and that’s okay. Go out there and be the best at what you do and don’t ever think you don’t have to keep honing your craft.
Dylan: Know who your real friends are. There are people out there who will just want to ride your coattails and don’t care about who you really are. Keep your circle small.
Julian: This is a business first and foremost. Sure it’s fun to get up on stage and have people cheering and singing along, but it’s not just a big party. Know what you’re signing, be wise with your money, and have a plan for when it’s all over.
Dylan: Geez…that was depressing.
Julian: I just said it’s not just a big party…
Dylan: Yeah, I know but you made it sound just…ugh.
Matt: Dude, are you just meeting Julian? That’s how he talks all the time!
Riley: Bottom line? Yes, Julian sounds like Eyeore, but he’s right.
Mick: It is like herding cats with these guys, but it’s never boring!
Rae: Samantha thanks again. If fans are looking to find you this year, where can they catch up with you?
Samantha: Thank YOU!! This was a blast!! Readers, you can find me primarily on FB and IG, but here are all my links!!
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Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of contemporary romance that’s hotter than sweet, sweeter than hot. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than eighty titles under her belt – including THE CHRISTMAS COTTAGE which was a Hallmark Christmas movie in 2017! She’s a Disney enthusiast who still happily listens to 80’s rock. When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading romances, playing way too many games of Solitaire on Facebook, wearing a tiara while playing with her sassy pug Maylene…oh, and spending time with her husband of 32 years and their two sons in Wake Forest, North Carolina.
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