Jul 20, 2020 | Blog, Coffee With, July 2020
Rae: Welcome to the blog. I’ve got a spiced Latte with Almond Milk and a drizzle of chocolate in my mug. What’s in your cuppa?
RG: Thank you so much for presenting us today, Rae! Oh yum! Your latte sounds heavenly! I like my coffee straight up, usually late morning, after a run and breakfast, and then a few cups throughout the day. Unless I’m in a hot tea mood, especially if it’s a London Fog with coconut milk. 😊
Rae: Congratulations on your recent release of “Bending Love” in the Anthology Love Gone Viral. I love that all the proceeds from the sale will be donated to World Central Kitchen and Feeding America. Romance fiction is so powerful and the community is so giving. I can’t wait to hear how much you all raise.
RG: Thank you! I love that we’re doing this and I’m grateful and humbled to be part of these wonderful writers who donated, not only their time, but their stories, to help raise money for World Central Kitchen and Feeding America. This especially hit home for me, as I’ve spent time with families in the Appalachia area who struggle with feeding their families on a daily basis. It’s heartbreaking and something I want to help change.
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1. What is your must read book and why?
RG: WOW! This is a difficult question. I have several times infinity plus one, but I’ll narrow it down to one, otherwise, we’ll be here for the rest of the year. 😉 ANYTHING and EVERYTHING by Alex Westmore. But my all-time favourite by her is Ride for Tomorrow – it has zombies, a lesbian romance, and a cool twist. What’s not to love about a romance set during the zombie apocalypse?
2. If I visit your hometown, where am I going and what’s the best place to grab a bite?
RG: Head on over to East TN, Rae, and I’ll take you to Open Doors Coffee House for your spiced latte with almond milk and an amazing breakfast of scrambled eggs, avocado, and gluten free toast or a waffle, if you prefer. Then after sitting on my porch for a spell watching birds and squirrels, we’d hop on our bicycles and pedal to Ole’s Guacamole for Pechuga Fundidas. In the evening, we’d drive to a little “hole-in-the-wall” called Ridgewood BBQ for – you guessed it! – mouth-watering traditionally smoked beef BBQ and fries (this is the real reason we rode our bicycles earlier). One sec while I go grab some now…
3. What is one thing readers would be surprised to know about you?
RG: Okay, back. YUM! You missed some amazing BBQ! Let’s see, where were we? Ah, surprises! Does anything surprise anyone anymore? J/K… I could talk about my desire to learn how to draw comic books, as I am a writer and can barely draw stick figures. However, the one thing that would probably surprise most people is – I have become an expert in rescuing mice from glue traps. One rescued mouse – I have a special bond with this one in particular, because it liked my expensive chocolate above my partner’s inferior pseudo-chocolate – gripped my finger with its tiny paw before dashing away. It was beautiful!
3. What is your guilty pleasure?
RG: FINALLY, Rae, an easy question! 😊 At the moment, it’s Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon’s Rick and Morty. I can’t get enough of them! I recently bought a couple of Rick and Morty shirts, started collecting the comics, and am currently watching Season 4 (no spoilers, please).
5. What are you afraid of?
RG: I’m terrified of people finding out my fears and then using them to prank me. (Not today, buddy!)
6. Tats or No Tats? If tats, how many and what did you choose for your first one?
RG: Ah! If only my tats could speak, the stories they would tell… Luckily, they can’t! But if they could – the first one might tell how my parents completely freaked out when I came home with one. My mom, knowing nothing about tattoos (my ENTIRE family was adamantly against them), thought it would “go away” if I simply scrubbed it with alcohol and bleach – don’t worry, I didn’t do it. I have two, but am planning on at least one more. My first one, a dragon, is on my left shoulder – you might even get to see it if you run or work out with me. 😛
7. Binge watcher or weekly viewer? Which show(s)?
RG: Both. During work, I enjoy the background noise of “The Office” and I just let it run continuously – I may or may not be known to reenact lines of random episodes at random times (but, if you’re really curious, feel free to ask my partner about it).
During my downtime, I enjoy watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Fringe, and Rick and Morty. I try to limit the episodes to 1 or 2 at a time so I can savour each one. Although, one year I binge-watched Fringe, because John Noble was going to be at DragonCon. 😊
8. If you could pick a book you’ve read and make it into a movie, which book would it be (besides yours 🙂 )?
RG: Besides mine, eh? I would love to see Westmore’s Ride for Tomorrow turned into a movie. Also, Jane Lindskold’s Through Wolf’s Eyes. Both would be amazing to watch!
9. What is the one thing you can’t live without?
RG: Well, Rae, we’ve had to learn to live without a lot lately, haven’t we? However, I have to say, gluten free chicken wings and French fries covered in cheese from Beef O’ Brady’s. Unfortunately, I discovered my local one – after a long bike ride to get there – was closed down without warning and without signs ☹. Thankfully, there’s another one about thirty minutes away and Bite Squad delivers. 😉 What? I bet you thought I’d say BBQ from Ridgewood – that’s for special occasions and you coming down would be a special occasion. 😊
10. What’s the one career gives you the shudders?
RG: Answering phone calls. Been there. Done that. Not for me.
11. If I opened up your handbag/bag/briefcase, what item would I be shocked to see?
RG: Hmm… Well, it would depend on the situation. If we’re talking my daily life, I stuff my pockets full of different things. The hand sanitizer would be no surprise right now, neither would the mask or wallet, but you might be surprised to find a lighter (nope, don’t smoke) and a pocket knife (hey! I’m a country girl – it’s a useful tool to open things, slice an apple, etc.).
If we’re talking hiking, then the duct tape in my backpack may surprise you (again, country girl – we use duct tape for everything!).
12. What app on your phone/ipad gets the most use?
RG: Well, since quarantine/self-isolation, it’s been Bite Squad. Hands down. I should buy stock in it 😉
Rae: Thank you for hanging out today.
RG: It’s been great getting to hang out with you today, Rae! Hope everyone has a fantastic week and enjoys the book!
Randi Goldleif lives in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee with her partner. Always drawn to reading and writing, she dictated her first story to her mother in the first grade.
She constantly found herself in trouble during elementary and middle school because she was either reading books in math class or reenacting grand adventures of damsels in distress on the playground.
When not creating stories, she can be found hiking, running, or hanging with friends.
Website: https://therandigoldleif.com/
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/randi.goldleif.7
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aylashaladiah
Jul 17, 2020 | Blog, Coffee With, July 2020
Rae: Welcome to the blog. I’ve got a spiced Latte with Almond Milk and a drizzle of chocolate in my mug. What’s in your cuppa?
Meredith: Thank you so much for having us, Rae! You and I think alike! I’ve got a latte made with oat milk with a sprinkle of cocoa on top.
Rae: Congratulations on your recent release of Falling Through Air in the Anthology Love Gone Viral. I love that all the proceeds from the sale will be donated to World Central Kitchen and Feeding America. Romance fiction is so powerful and the community is so giving. I can’t wait to hear how much you all raise.
1. What is your must read book and why? Just about anything by Sarah MacLean – she’s an awesome writer who writes fantastic stories!
2. If I visit your hometown, where am I going and what’s the best place to grab a bite? Welcome to our nation’s capital, Washington, DC! There are simply too many restaurants to choose from, but two of my favorite are Tony Cheng’s—the best dim sum (Chinese dumplings) in town, and Lengano Ethopian Restaurant (which is actually in Silver Spring, MD, but it’s close enough).
3. What is one thing readers would be surprised to know about you? The love of my life, the man I married nearly 30 years ago, is from Kolkata, India. When we married I learned to speak his native language, Bengali, and we’ve gone back to visit almost every year since our children were born so that they could know their family there, the language, and culture.
4. What is your guilty pleasure? Sitting in a café with a latte and a croissant chatting with a friend or writing. It’s my absolute favorite thing to do!
5. What are you afraid of? All sorts of nasty, horrible medical procedures.
6. Tats or No Tats? If tats, how many and what did you choose for your first one? Nope! One of my children has tatoos and I cried a little inside when they got them.
7. Binge watcher or weekly viewer? Which show(s)? Definitely weekly. I like to drag out a good story. I do the same thing with books – the more I enjoy it, the slower I read! My two favorite shows just now are Gilmore Girls and Gray’s Anatomy (yeah… I never saw them when they were being produced, so I am now).
8. If you could pick a book you’ve read and make it into a movie, which book would it be (besides yours 🙂 )? Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover, by Sarah MacLean. There’s some fun stuff in there I’d love to see come to life!
9. What is the one thing you can’t live without? Air… er… my husband… Consumables? Tea. Or French fries… yeah… French fries!
10. What’s the one career gives you the shudders? Garbage collector. No thank you!
11. If I opened up your handbag/bag/briefcase, what item would I be shocked to see? Nothing! I carry to smallest, tiniest little purse I can get away with. Whatever fits my phone, a small wallet, a pen, and a pair of reading glasses (yeah, I’m old!).
12. What app on your phone/ipad gets the most use? Gmail, and that horrible game I’m addicted to (Homescapes – argh! I can’t stop playing!).
Meredith Bond‘s books straddle that beautiful line between historical romance and fantasy. An award-winning author, she writes fun traditional Regency romances, medieval Arthurian romances, and Regency romances with a touch of magic. Known for her characters “who slip readily into one’s heart,” Meredith loves to take her readers on a journey they won’t soon forget.
Merry loves connecting with readers. Be sure to find her:
Website: http://www.meredithbond.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meredithbondauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/merrybond
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/merrybond/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/847484.Meredith_Bond
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Meredith-Bond/e/B001KI1SNE/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meredith_bond/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/meredith-bond
And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter: http://meredithbond.com/subscribe/ and get a free short story every month along with all of Merry’s news and the opportunity to get her next book before it’s even published!
Apr 26, 2020 | April 2020, Blog, Coffee With, Katee Robert
Rae: Welcome to the blog. I’ve got a Dalgona Whipped Coffee in a fancy mason jar. It’s my new must have thanks to my teenager daughter who insisted we make one.
What’s in your cuppa or glass ;)?
Katee: When I drink, I usually prefer an Old Fashioned, but we’re out of most of the stuff so these days when I drink, it’s just straight up bourbon!
Rae: For those not familiar with your writing, how would you describe your books and where would you suggest they start if selecting from your backlist for the first time?
Katee: My books are bonkers sexy romps. My backlist can fall into basically 3 categories—saucy cotton candy types of stories (start with Wrong Bed, Right Guy), small town murder mysteries (start with The Devil’s Daughter), and mob-type really sexy dark romance (start with either The Marriage Contract, or deep dive into the bonkers WTF with Desperate Measures).
Rae: Congratulations on your surprise release this week. What was the inspiration for this story and will there be more unexpected books while we are navigating social distancing? Has that helped your creative writing process and do you think you’ll change the way you write moving forward?
Katee: Thank you so much! This book surprised me as much as everyone else. Like everyone else, I’ve been hit hard with the pandemic funk and completely fell out of reading because I couldn’t concentrate. Nikki Sloane’s Filthy Rich American series broke that for me. I inhaled it, and it convinced me that I might be into father-in-law stuff. Once I finished the books, I couldn’t get the idea of it out of my head and it just morphed into this whirlwind drafting of a book in a week. It was like having an out of body experience, but it brought me an absurd amount of joy.
I don’t know that this will change my creative process overall, but it was so fun, I expect I’ll be diverting my schedule for another pseudo taboo book before the end of the year!
Thank you so much for hanging out. It’s time for a round of dirty dozen…
1. What is your must read book and why?
The book that I reread every single year is Anne Bishop’s fantasy series, the Black Jewels trilogy (it’s an omnibus. Totally counts!). It’s one of those that you either love or hate, and it imprinted on me hard when I first read it because of the world-building and characters just jump off the page. It does come with heavy trigger warnings, though, so be warned before you dive in.
2. If I visit your hometown, where am I going and what’s the best place to grab a bite?
This little hole-in-the-wall place called Dick’s that has the best burgers on this side of the state!
3. What is one thing readers would be surprised to know about you?
I’m never quite sure how to answer this question because I’m a bit of an over-sharer. Maybe that I’m really into YA horror, even though I can’t stand most other horror except slashers.
4. What is your guilty pleasure?
My favorite thing in the world is seeing movies by myself. Just going in and enjoying the whole experience alone. It recharges my introvert soul.
5. What are you afraid of?
Ghosts, spiders, serial killers. Maybe in that order.
6. Tats or No Tats? If tats, how many and what did you choose for your first one?
Tats all the way. I am covered. I have a full sleeve, both my ribs done up, and a bunch on my back. They’re all literary and heavy into fairy tales.
7. Binge watcher or weekly viewer? Which show(s)?
I’ve a binge watcher, but I’m not a very good one. The only seasons I seem to finish these days are cooking shows.
8. If you could pick a book you’ve read and make it into a movie, which book would it be (besides yours 🙂 )?
I would love, love, love to see Kresley Cole’s contemporary trilogy made into movies that do them justice, dark and seriously sexy.
9. What is the one thing you can’t live without?
Coffee. It’s my life.
10. What’s the one career gives you the shudders?
Teaching middle schoolers. Which is kind of hilarious because for like half a year, I thought that’s what I wanted to do.
11. If I opened up your handbag/bag/briefcase, what item would I be shocked to see?
Not sure about shocked, but there are an absurd number of protein bars in my purse at any given time. I’m the Snack Mom.
12. What app on your phone/ipad gets the most use?
Instagram. It’s my happy place.
Rae: Thank you for hanging out today.
Katee: Thank you so much for inviting me!
Katee Robert is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. Entertainment Weekly calls her writing “unspeakably hot.” Her books have sold over a million copies. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, children, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and two Great Danes who think they’re lap dogs.
Website: www.kateerobert.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKateeRobert
Twitter: https://twitter.com/katee_robert
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5398028.Katee_Robert
Instagram: http://instagram.com/katee_robert/
Mar 30, 2020 | Blog, Coffee With, Kristen Morgen, March 2020
Rae: Welcome to the blog. I’ve got a spiced Latte with Almond Milk and a drizzle of chocolate in my mug. What’s in your cuppa?
Kristen: Starbuck Vanilla Flavored Coffee with Almond Milk Creamer
1. What is your must read book and why?
As a romance author, it’s SO cliché, but my must read book is The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. I’ve read it several times and it was probably the biggest influence for my own career as a romance author. Sparks is one of my favorite authors and when my writing is compared to his in reviews for my book, it’s SUCH a huge compliment!!
2. If I visit your hometown, where am I going and what’s the best place to grab a bite?
My hometown is Madison, WI and all of my books are set there. I don’t live there anymore, but I have such fond memories of so many restaurants, including my all-time favorite, Porta Bella. It’s the best Italian restaurant (on the planet!) and the atmosphere is like none other! As far where to go, there is no better place than State Street! It’s the city’s renowned pedestrian mall, running eight blocks from the State Capitol to the University of Wisconsin’s campus. There are so many incredible shops, restaurants, museums and theaters!
3. What is one thing readers would be surprised to know about you?
I’m educated and trained as a licensed architect, and I own my architectural firm. I’m not happy unless I’m creating something, whether it’s floor plans for a new house or writing a new love story, as long as I’m exercising the creative side of my brain in some way.
4. What is your guilty pleasure?
I have several actually. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to embrace guilty pleasures! They include coffee, wine, cheesecake and binge-watching TV series on Netflix or Amazon. Oh, and spa days! I love being pampered from time to time too!
5. What are you afraid of?
I get teased about this all the time when I admit it, but….. moths and butterflies! They just freak me the hell out! They have the CREEPIEST little bodies and they fly so erratically that they’ve become a low-key phobia of mine! (Go ahead and laugh!)
6. Tats or No Tats? If tats, how many and what did you choose for your first one?
No tats on this girl! And I don’t really have a reason why. I’ve just never found anything that I’ve wanted to put on my body forever. But I do have a great line when people ask me why I don’t have any tats – “Why would you EVER want to put bumper stickers on a Ferrari?”
7. Binge watcher or weekly viewer? Which show(s)?
Mainly a binge watcher due to my busy schedule and never knowing when I’ll have time to keep up. And I have a wide range of favorites – Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Game of Thrones, Mr. Robot, NCIS, Blacklist, Dexter, Narcos, The Americans, Homeland, Stranger Things, Dead to Me, The Good Place, The Office (and you’d never think I was a romance author based o that list!).
8. If you could pick a book you’ve read and make it into a movie, which book would it be (besides yours 🙂 )?
There was a great thriller called “The Marriage Lie” by Kimberly Belle that I read a few years ago for a local book club and we all agreed that it would make an awesome movie. It was one of those books that kept you guessing at every turn and I can imagine it would translate very well to the big screen!
9. What is the one thing you can’t live without?
This is something I’ve actually recently learned about myself. Back in September, I did a 30 day cleanse – no sugars, no carbs, no dairy, no alcohol and…. no coffee!! I was all set with everything but the coffee. It turns out that coffee owns me. And I’m ok with that!
10. What’s the one career gives you the shudders?
Dentist. Hands down. Going into people’s mouths and giving them discomfort or pain? No thank you!! I honestly don’t know how they do it!
11. If I opened up your handbag/bag/briefcase, what item would I be shocked to see?
My purse is pretty boring, but my briefcase is a little more unusual. I always carry a 25’ tape measure and a laser measurer because I’m always measuring houses for my job.
12. What app on your phone/ipad gets the most use?
It’s a tie between Facebook and Instagram.
Rae: Thank you for hanging out today.
Kristen Morgen is a contemporary romance author and a licensed architect with her own architectural firm. A creative spirit, she can’t remember a time in her life when she didn’t crave designing, creating, discovering, and using her imagination in some way.
Her romance writing interests may seem rather different from her daily career, where she focuses on designing homes, but all good architects are, at heart, just artists creating something imagined onto paper. The two practices and creative processes balance each other well.
Kristen was an avid reader from an early age, and it was her love for the romance genre, her favorite guilty pleasure, that encouraged her to hone her passion for writing. She loves the art of shaping words and sentences into relatable stories while creating rich characters for her readers to connect with.
Her debut novel ‘Behind the Glass’ explores relationships and the little reasons people fall in love with each other while uncovering deeper truths.
Originally from Madison, Wisconsin, she currently resides in Connecticut with her husband and two daughters. When she’s not designing homes, she dedicates her free time to her second novel and reads almost anything she can get her hands on.
Kristen Morgen is a hopeless romantic to the end.
Jan 17, 2020 | Blog, Coffee With, January 2020, Lawrence Hall
Rae: Welcome to the blog Lawrence Hall. I’ve got a spiced Latte with Almond Milk and a drizzle of chocolate in my mug. What’s in your cuppa?
Lawrence: Thanks for having me! If it’s Starbucks we’re talking, then it’s a black and white mocha, hot. If not, then any french vanilla coffee is good with me. I’m not partial.
Rae: Congratulations on your upcoming release of The Vigilante’s Assassin later this month and Bonnie’s Game in January 2020.
Lawrence: Thank you. I’m very excited about The Vigilante’s Assassin. Bonnie’s game is my first attempt in the genre so I’m a little nervous about how it shapes up. 
Rae: It’s time for a round of dirty dozen…
1. What is your must read book and why? I still read a lot of comic books, so I would have to say Green Lantern. I love when those books come out.
2. If I visit your hometown, where am I going and what’s the best place to grab a bite? If you’re not from Washington DC, then everyone talks about Ben’s Chili Bowl and going there. People from DC aren’t that pressed to go, but it’s a good tourist place as you visit the monuments.
3. What is one thing readers would be surprised to know about you? Probably that I actually do read romance novels. Seems women don’t come across men that actually read, and even fewer still that read romance.
4. What is your guilty pleasure? I don’t live my life with regrets, or I try not to anyway, so I don’t really have a guilty pleasure. I do what I want when I can, and try to enjoy the little things in life. Now what I catch the most hell for is playing video games lol.
5. What are you afraid of? Snakes. Hate them!
6. Tats or No Tats? If tats, how many and what did you choose for your first one? No tats. I’m pure as the driven snow lol.
7. Binge watcher or weekly viewer? Which show(s)? Both. I pretty much will only binge watch if I’m new to the series and it’s been out for a while. Otherwise, I’ll catch it as it airs. I’m big on superhero shows, so right now I watch the Flash every time it comes on the CW network.
8. If you could pick a book you’ve read and make it into a movie, which book would it be (besides yours 🙂 )? Graphic novel is what I’d have to go with, and I’d LOVE to see a good Avatar the last Airbender movie made.
9. What is the one thing you can’t live without? Sex. I don’t know how I’d get by lol.
10. What’s the one career gives you the shudders? Oh man, anything that has to do with dealing with the cleanup of natural or man-made disasters. I have a lot of respect for the people that have to go into the fallout from that stuff.
11. If I opened up your handbag/bag/briefcase, what item would I be shocked to see? Probably my blockbuster video card that I still carry around haha.
12. What app on your phone/ipad gets the most use? Oh, that’s an easy one. Instagram.
Rae: Thank you for hanging out today.
Lawrence: Thanks for having me. It was fun!
What do you get when you mix Spartacus with Spaceballs? We’re not sure either, but somewhere in there is Lawrence Hall. A man of few words until he begins speaking, you can often find him with a smile on his face, until he takes a picture. Then he tries to put on his best 1990s hardcore hip hop persona, which would be a mix of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls. Unless MC Hammer is on the radio.
Hailing from the capital city of the USA, he has over 10 years of teaching experience. This means Lawrence has mastered the art of daydreaming and not listening, but pretending he hears and sees everything. He’s the perfect chameleon.
An avid film buff, and lover of HEA, he’s too much of an optimist to want anything else. His motto: I may fall like Autumn but I’ll rise a new season.
Making his debut in May 2019 as a bona fide romance author, you can find him all over your favorite social media. Lawrence loves to engage and invites you to come stalk…I mean…follow him!
Instagram: @lawrencehallauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lhall5819/
Facebook Readers Group – Hall’s Of Romance: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hallsofromance/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lawrence-hall
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14627599.Lawrence_Hall
Amazon: amazon.com/author/lawrencehall
Signup for my newsletter – Hall’s Pass here: mailchi.mp/55564ef8364c/lawrenceshallpass
Nov 24, 2019 | Blog, Coffee With, November 2019
Rae: Welcome to the blog Gina L. Maxwell. I’ve got a spiced Latte with Almond Milk and a drizzle of chocolate in my mug. What’s in your cuppa?
Gina: I have an iced Boston Latte with whipped cream. It’s a drink that my local coffee shop makes; it’s just espresso, honey, and milk. It’s my favorite thing to drink while writing. That or Diet Cherry Pepsi. 😉
Rae: Congratulations on your recent release of Hook, the second installment in your Neverland Series. A modern day twist on a childhood classic, what was the inspiration for this series?
Gina: Thank you so much! I actually got the idea to write a book about an NA hero who doesn’t want to grow up (in other words, be a mature adult) when I heard the country song “Peter Pan” by Kelsea Ballerini. Originally that’s all it was going to be: a friends to lovers trope with a hero who was responsibility challenged. I have no idea when or how it morphed into what it is today; I honestly can’t remember. But it went from a single book based on the idea of a Peter Pan type hero to a planned 10-book series that takes the original book by JM Barrie and twists those stories and characters to make them fit into a contemporary and modern world. I actually read the original book (which is not an easy read) to make sure I have all the characters and iconic moments included. I’ve never had so much fun with a book as I did writing Pan (book 1), and I’ve never fallen in love with a hero more than I have with Captain Hook. I’m not sure I’ll ever top him.
Rae:There is trigger content, without spoilers how you prepared yourself from plotting to writing Hook’s story.
Gina: As for how I prepared, I’m not even sure I did. When it comes to storylines, I’ve become a loose plotter. Before I start writing, I at least have to know the basics of what happens in each chapter so I know where the story is going. But when it comes to my characters, I only know the bare minimum about them before I start writing, then as I go along, they reveal things to me about who they are and what’s in their pasts. So I didn’t necessarily know about Hook’s past when I started writing him in Pan, I only knew that he was going to have some kind of bad relationship with Croc, because in the original, the crocodile has it out for Captain Hook. But when I wrote that first chapter, I suddenly knew, and it was bad. It had to be to explain the 
complexity of his character. So I don’t think there was any sort of preparing I did or could do. I’ve learned to let my characters lead me through their stories. It feels very much as though they’re simply showing me what happens, and I’m merely the person who transcribes those scenes for others to see as well. It wasn’t easy writing some of the chapters in Hook, but the hard parts are necessary to understand him and they make you long for his HEA even more, because he deserves it so badly.
Rae: For fans of your Neverland series, how many books do you anticipate?
Gina: As I mentioned, I have ten books planned for this series. I’m operating on a strict No Lost Boys Left Behind policy. That includes Tink, Tiger Lily, the two Pirates, Smee and Starkey, who were originally Lost Boys, and the honorary Lost Boy, Chief, who is Tiger Lily’s older brother (the only character I made up that’s not in the original books).
Rae: Are you releasing any new series or finishing up others?
Gina: I’m not releasing any new series as of now, but I have a couple of ideas in the works. Eventually I’d love to write books for the other 4 guys in my Boston Heat series (right now Hot for the Fireman is acting as a stand-alone), and maybe one or a few more in my Playboys in Love series, but none of those would happen for a few years yet, if at all.
Rae: With all the that, how do you keep all of your worlds and characters from crossing over?
Gina: I don’t have to worry about my characters and worlds crossing over because I’m not the kind of author who can work on multiple projects simultaneously. I start a book and finish it before I move on to something else. I’m a horrible multi-tasker. LOL
Rae: As a reader who appreciates a well crafted book cover, are you active in the creative design process? The covers capture your books – love the models ;).
Gina: 100%! I’ve been really lucky that I’ve always had a lot of creative control when it comes to my covers, and now that I’m self-publishing the Neverland Novels, I have all the control when I work with my designer. I feel very strongly about having great covers because it’s the first thing that attracts a reader. They’re super important.
Rae: Writing all the words is a challenge, do you have a writing ritual or secret location to get the work done?
Gina: I’m the least ritualistic person ever. In fact, I’m closer to a hot mess. LOL The closest I get to something like that is going to my local coffee shop (my town is too small to have a Starbucks) to write. I can usually focus better there than I can at home.
Rae: How do you tackle plotting your series? Is it on a massive board, sheets of paper or just write as you go with a simple outline?
Gina: It’s a combination of handwritten notes and an excel spreadsheet. I first start putting my ideas on paper, but then to actually plot the chapters, I write brief summaries of what happens in the spreadsheet. As I finish writing the chapters, I change their color to mark them as done.
Rae: Your backlist is impressive and inspiring with multiple series and standalone reads both from traditional publishing houses and self-published. What can we expect to see in e-reader shops and bookshelves in the last two months of 2019 and early 2020?
Gina: From me? Nothing. LOL I’m an incredibly slowwww writer, and like I said, I only work on one project at a time. Hook was the most complex book I’ve ever written and it took me 9 months to complete, so I need a bit of a break. I’ll be starting Tink’s book in January (with the hopes of releasing it in the Spring of 2020), but in the meantime I’ll be working on chat fiction stories for the Hooked app (I’ve written several of those in the past) and a proposal for a new idea for my agent to shop around after the holidays. I might write a bonus scene for Hook that I can release around Christmas time, but other than that, I won’t be doing much until the New Year. I do have plans to collaborate soon on a fun new series with my friend and super talented author, Lorelei James, but I have no idea when the first book will be releasing.
Rae: Thank you for hanging out in the cafe today.
1. What is your must read book and why? The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros is the most brilliant book I’ve ever read. The
way Rebecca weaves the letters between the characters in with the current timeline is sheer genius, and the story itself is so beautifully heart wrenching and true to real life. If I could physically put it in the hands of every woman, I would.
2. If I visit your hometown, where am I going and what’s the best place to grab a bite? I grew up and still live in Fort Atkinson, WI. For some amazing Italian food, hit up Mangiami.
3. Do you take-in or cook? If so, what is your “go-to” dish? I hate cooking. HATE. IT. If I’m getting delivery, it’s usually pizza.
4. What is one thing readers would be surprised to know about you? I hate writing sex scenes. This usually surprises readers because I’m literally known for them. But they’re hard to write because they involve so many different aspects, so I usually put off writing them and then complain the whole time when I finally do. LOL
5. Hard Rock or Classical? Favorite Band or Artist? Hard Rock. Pink Floyd is one of my favorite bands.
6. If you had an all expenses paid trip anywhere in the world for research, where would you go? Some place like Bora Bora or Figi.
7. What is your guilty pleasure? I can’t think of anything that would be considered a guilty pleasure, but my favorite dessert is tiramisu. I suppose if I had it every day I’d have to feel guilty about it. LOL
8. What are you afraid of? My kids dying before me.
9. Tats or No Tats? If tats, how many and what did you choose for your first one? I love tattoos. When I was 19, my friend and I had plans to get our first ones together. Three days before our appointments, he was killed in a car accident we were in together. So I combined our designs as a tribute to our friendship. It’s the blue and purple crescent moon with a sleeping face that I wanted and the lizard that he wanted curled up on the inside of the moon and the word PALS with the infinity sign.
10. Organized or Free Floating? Definitely free floating.
11. Binge watcher or weekly viewer? Which show(s)? Binger! I really like Stranger Things, Schitt’s Creek, The Ranch (only Parts 1-5, after that I hate it), The Magicians…uh, I’m not sure what else. It’s been ages since I’ve had time to watch anything really. My “to be watched” list is just as long as my TBR list.
12. What’s on your playlist? While writing Hook I listened to a lot of Billie Eilish.
13. What play or musical do you want to see next? I have yet to see “Hamilton.”
14. Are you a crafter? I’ve been known to be crafty for certain things, but I wouldn’t say I’m a crafter, no.
15. What’s your favorite TV show and why? “Scrubs” would be my favorite comedy. The writing was amazing and so funny. All our cats are named after Scrubs characters, and I even made a reference in Hook. John’s undercover alias is John Dorian McRae. John Dorian, aka JD, is the name of the main character in Scrubs. I also absolutely love “Schitt’s Creek” and David is probably my favorite TV character of all time. My favorite drama was a Netflix original that has only 2 seasons called “SENSE8.” It’s absolutely brilliant, I could discuss that show for hours, and I recommend it to everyone.
16. If you could pick a book you’ve read and make it into a movie, which book would it be (besides yours 🙂 )? The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros
17. What’s your favorite movie of all time and why? “The Sweetest Thing”
18. Would you rather see a movie in the theater or at home on DVD and why? I love going to the theater, especially for action and fantasy movies.
19. What is the one thing you can’t live without? My kids.
20. If you could invite 5 people to dinner (not friends and family – that’s too easy) who would be at your table? Where would you eat? Gena Showalter, Dan Levy, Jason Momoa, Reese Witherspoon, Ellen DeGeneres. We’d eat somewhere super fancy with amazing steaks that cost ridiculous amounts of money and they’d foot the bill because they’re all rich. LOL
21. If you could try any career for a day, what would it be? Dolphin trainer at Sea World
22. Person you admire and why? I admire anyone who lives as their authentic selves because in this day and age, the world isn’t making it easy on anyone who is different or “atypical”. I also admire those who are in the process of their self-discovery and working up the courage to embrace who they are. These are the people I admire the most. <3 Thanks again for hanging out! Happy Reading Dear Readers.
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Gina L. Maxwell is a full-time writer, wife, and mother living in the upper Midwest, despite her scathing hatred of snow and cold weather. An avid romance novel addict, she began writing as an alternate way of enjoying the romance stories she loves to read. Her debut novel, Seducing Cinderella, hit both the USA Today and the New York Times bestseller lists in less than four weeks, and she’s been living her newfound dream ever since.
When she’s not reading or writing steamy romance novels, she spends her time losing at games to her high school sweetheart, hanging out with their adult teenagers as they learn to fly on their own, and dreaming of her move to someplace warm once they finally do.
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