I'm blogging at The Popculturedivas today

Join me at The Popculturedivas for 13 Questions for Kate Robbins, Author of Bound to the Highlander.

Thursday Thirteen - 270 - 13 Reasons to Read SPEAK OF THE DEVIL by Shawna Romkey

Three writers' retreats ago, newest Romance Writers of Atlantic Canada member Shawna Romkey joined us for an intensive weekend of writing among a group of women who'd known each other for years. That might have put some folks off, wading into a cottage filled with old friends in an atmosphere of focused creative intention.

But I knew I'd met a kindred spirit when she put on her Xena Warrior Princess pajamas that first night. On the final day, she was in my brainstorming group with Tara MacQueen -- a glorious moment for all three of us.

It's my very great pleasure today to be part of Shawna's debut release blog tour. 

1 - SPEAK OF THE DEVIL is a 2013 Crescent Moon Press release. Shawna's debut novel packs Young Adult yearning for love with the paranormal powerhouse of angels and demons duking it out for earthly souls. Remember when you were a senior in high school and everything felt as if the world would end if this didn't happen or that thing did happen? For main character Lily, it's not about outfits that don't pull together. It's about the war in heaven ending up as her school newspaper assignment.  

2 - Before we go any farther, feast your eyes and ears on Shawna's book trailer by Rachel Firasek, with selected angel photography by Cher Fields.

3 - If it seems like Shawna is all over the blogosphere these days, her 32-stop blog tour may have something to do with that. Celebrating her dream-come-true brings us to today's book review, which is one of 20 starred stops on the tour.

A starred stop means there is a hidden Easter egg somewhere in the post. The SPEAK OF THE DEVIL Easter eggs are letters that stand out in some way. For a full list of Shawna's blog tour stops, visit her web site home page and scroll to the bottom:

SPEAK OF THE DEVIL Blog Tour

"If you find them and decipher the passcode, you can win a signed copy of SPEAK OF THE DEVIL, a swag pack and a $25 Amazon gift card! Once you've found the eggs in each post [including Shawna's own blog posts] put them together to find the secret passcode.

Tweet the code, including @sromkey #speakofthedevil

Hint 1 - The letters are in order

Hint 2 - The passcode will look like this: (--- --- - ---- -- -- -----)

One winner will be chosen from the entries on Easter, March 31st! Good luck!" - Shawna Romkey  

4 - SPEAK OF THE DEVIL brings readers to contemporary Missouri, where teen heroine Lily tries to navigate her way clear of the rockier aspects of adolescence. She's carved a way through her parents' divorce, yet the attentions of her friend Mike leave her reflexively pushing him back to arms' length. 

5 - Before she can open herself to begin more than a flirtation with him, a fatal car accident rips Lily's friends from her life forever. Struggling with survivor's guilt, Lily discovers all the sights, sounds and smells of their shared hometown hold her frozen in grief. Reaching out to her dad and his new family, Lily moves to Kansas City and tries to move on with the life that was spared--hers.  

6 - Shawna's voice is perfect for the YA genre, capturing Lily's defensive tone with wry observations about life as only an intrepid student reporter can make:

"I took a seat near the front with my camera. High school theater was my beat, so I did my duty. I'd seen several high school performances, and even to other high schoolers they were usually pretty bad. Teenagers are so tied up in their developing self-esteems to be 'in the moment' and uninhibited, which helps with acting. (I know this from watching a lot of Bravo.)"

7 - SPEAK OF THE DEVIL pits two love interests against Lily's wounded heart. Will it be Luc, he of the time-stands-still gaze and mega-watt charisma? Or will more accessible Mo who makes her laugh and forget be the one to find the chink in her armor? 

8 - Shawna's romantic tension is taut and filled with wonderfully identifiable moments, yet that only encompasses one part of her YA paranormal debut. As a dark fantasy/vampire author myself, and a Supernatural devotee, it's a joy to report that Shawna's heavenly skirmishes are filled with unnerving details like watching nubby demon horns emerge. If a book is set in a paranormal world, I like to feel somewhat spooked by what's going on.  

9 - Plus, there's a lot of questioning faith as a result of so much random loss. If there's a serious desire to ask 'what's it all about?' then I'm hooked.

10 - Shawna really knows how to end each chapter with a hook. Like this, for example:

" 'Are you okay to drive?' he asked.

Oh, good one, knowing my history and about my friends. I thought it was a low blow though.

'Go to hell,' I said. This, for some reason, brought out a burst of laughter from Sean, who again, I believed to be completely sober.

I just shook my head and got in my car. Mo stood there looking hopeless while I drove off.

I looked back in the rear view as I was pulling out of the parking lot. Sean had parked the van and the four of them were headed inside. Rehearsal I imagined. I drove down the road for a few minutes then thought, I'm not grounded. I don't have to be home. And I really wanted to see what these people were up to,  so I turned around and parked in the front parking lot, where the teachers parked since after all it was after school hours. I took my phone, put it on silent, and headed down to where I was sure they'd all be, the theater." 

11 - For anyone heading to the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention in Kansas City, Missouri - setting for SPEAK OF THE DEVIL - Shawna will be at the Giant Book Fair on Sat, May 4th from 11:00 - 2:00, Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center.

12 - You can find Shawna on Facebook

and on Twitter @sromkey

13 - I leave you with an excerpt. Enjoy!

"Julie fumbled with the wipers while I pulled the sun visor down to check my face in its little rectangular mirror, even though I'd only left my vanity like five minutes ago. The lights on either side lit up the interior of the car. I reached into my tiny party purse to find my lip gloss, which was easy to locate since I'd only packed the essentials in my bag: phone, some cash, and make-up. As I glanced at myself, I saw Mike in the reflection, smiling at me from the back seat. I stuck my tongue out at him, making him laugh, and put on the lip-gloss, fully aware of how flirty I acted.

The windshield wipers couldn't keep up with the sudden downpour. The pitter-patter turned to thumping. Hail came down in gumball-sized pellets. 'Damn.' Julie jerked the steering wheel to keep The Whale off the curb.

'Slow down, Jules.' Mike gripped Julie's headrest. 'We can pull over until it passes.'

 'Yeah.' She squinted to see the road before her.

I pressed my lips together to smooth out the gloss. 'Damn is right. I didn't bring a jacket.'

The Whale swerved to the right crunching along the gravel on the side of the road. I braced myself in my seat. Julie leaned up to the steering wheel and peered over it as my grandmother sometimes did when she drove. I squinted because of the stupid light up visor mirror. I slammed it shut, but Julie panicked and over corrected, pulling The Whale to the left and careening over the yellow dotted line in the middle of the street.

'Julie!' Mike shouted.

Time slowed and ticked out in heart beats.

Ba bum.

Julie cringed, her hands moving up to shield her face. Her head turned away from the highway.

Ba bum.

Mike reached protectively from the back seat.

Ba bum.

The headlights illuminated the rail of the overpass.

 Ba bum.

The car hit the rail on the opposite side of the road with a hard thud.

Ba bum.

Crap. We're going over the bridge.

Ba bum.

The Whale's nose pointed down toward the water.

Ba bum.

A jolt forward and my forehead slammed into the dashboard.

Ba bum.

The Whale flipped in the air. I'm upside down.

Ba bum.

Pain.

Ba bum.

Did my mom say goodbye when I left?"

- Shawna Romkey, 2013

5 on Friday - Set 91/Resistance is Futile Blog Tour of the Universe Base Camp Celebration

Welcome, everyone, to a very special edition of 5 on Friday.

On 11 - 11 - 11, I'm celebrating both my birthday and the upcoming release of my debut novel, SAINT SANGUINUS, due to hit e-retailer virtual shelves in a matter of days.

My hoped-for release to coincide with my birthday is only slightly delayed - stay tuned to my website or here on my blog for the go-live announcement.

In the meantime, let's PARTY.

To join the stops on the Resistance is Futile Blog Tour of the Universe, click on the links below:

A Chat With Jennie Marsland

Adventure into Romance

Apprentice Writer

Cathryn Fox

Janet's Journal

The Redneck Romance Writer

Tara MacQueen

Trav's Thoughts

Sans Pantaloons - Andy is the designer of my kickass book cover

West of Mars



And now...



Let the good times begin!

1 - Gone Wild medley - University of Wisconsin Marching Band



2 - Get the Party Started - Pink



3 - Dance to the Music - Sly and The Family Stone



4 - Cup of Life - Ricky Martin



5 - Various samba tunes - Performers from Imperatriz, Brazil during Carnival in Rio





SAINT SANGUINUS

Coming soon

Scorpius will return in 1 week

I'm busy gearing up for my debut novel release, Saint Sanguinus.

Hope to see you here next week for the latest instalment of Scorpius' 19-year-old story arc, where he and his youthful master Lord Thibault find themselves fighting to keep their heads above dangerous political waters.

You can catch my first two stops on the Resistance is Futile Blog Tour of the Universe:


CLICK HERE to read the interview




CLICK HERE to read the interview




CLICK HERE to read press release

I'm being interviewed @ Beyond the Veil today

CLICK HERE to read my interview by Amy Ruttan over at Beyond the Veil, a group blog by authors of paranormal, science fiction, fantasy and speculative romance.

Through the Opera Glasses - 77 - 10 Questions For Kelly Boyce, Author of The Outlaw Bride

Day 15 of the A to Z Challenge brings us to a very special celebration.

Because today O is for Outlaw Bride.












Whom do I spy through my little opera glasses this week? Oh there - I see her! Debut western historical romance author Kelly Boyce, whose first e-book hits an e-reader near you TODAY.

Quick - let's pick up our skirts and dash over to see her. I'll just wait until she's in between chatting with readers.


Kelly - thank you for making your first stop on your release week promo tour here at A Piece of My Mind.

1 - You've been writing with clearly-plotted writing and career goals since you began your writing journey.

Don't know why I know that...oh, I know why. Because you've been picking me up for the drive to our monthly Romance Writers of Atlantic Canada meetings for the past 8 years. Ha, ha...!

So, what role do you think concrete expectations have for writers, who have to create their own workdays?

For me, concrete expectations are essential.

Where I have a full-time job (like most writers!), I needed to be very strict with my time management to ensure I wrote every day. I put my writing on equal footing with my day job, and since I wouldn’t dream of not showing up for the day job (they frown on that), I also wouldn’t dream of not showing up for the writing gig.

It means hideously early mornings, starting at 5:30am, which allows me 1.5 hours of uninterrupted writing time. I generally write fast, so I’m able to get a fair bit done in that time (although never as much as I’d like).

I set weekly goals, monthly goals, give myself manuscript completion deadlines, etc. I’m pretty goal-oriented, so having those goals keeps me focused.

2 - If I was going to describe you with a quote, I would definitely pick this one by Lao Tzu, the founder of Taoism:

"Anticipate the difficult by managing the easy."

I’m one with Lao.

How does this fit with your writing style?

Being a huge planner, I usually have back-up plans for my back-up plans. That way, if Plan A goes haywire, I have Plan B through G at the ready.

But overall, I’m more of a Nike girl. My motto is “Just Do It”. Tired on Monday morning and don’t want to get up? Too bad. Just do it.

Didn’t make my weekly goal by Friday but don’t want to work the weekend? Too bad. Just do it.

3 - Ha, ha! Exactly.

How long have you been a part of RWA?

I joined RWA (Romance Writers of America) and RWAC (Romance Writers of Atlantic Canada) in June 2003 and promptly realized I didn’t have a clue what I was doing.

What role do you think this played in your development as a writer?

RWAC is probably one of the most supportive groups of talented writers I have ever come across and they were essential at teaching me everything I didn’t know. I would not be where I am today with my writing had it not been for joining up with this crew.

4 - You served two terms as president of our chapter. How did you manage to balance your day job/RWAC exec/writing life/personal life?

I drank a lot.

Well…okay, not a lot.

I mean, not every day, or anything.

The key to being a great chapter president is having a great executive behind you, which I had during both my terms. They made me look good.

The rest of it – day job, personal life, writing - was sheer time management, but I’m a Capricorn, we thrive on schedules. I break out into a rash if I don’t have a calendar handy. It’s not pretty.

5 - What attracted you to the western historical romance genre, Kelly?

I grew up watching spaghetti westerns and have always been a huge Clint Eastwood fan. My early television viewing included Bonanza, Big Valley and of course Little House on the Prairie.

Me, too!

Added to this, as kids, my brother, Craig would devour books on cowboys, Indians and such, then regurgitate the stories back to me. Safe to say, I was fully immersed in the Old West from a very early age, so writing a western historical romance was an easy fit for me.

Who are your favorite western authors?

Maggie Osborne is at the top.
Cheryl St. John.
Linda Lael Miller is great.
I’ve also recently started reading Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove.

6 - If you could set up the perfect western film marathon, what three films would have to be on the playbill?

Oh wow…that’s tough.



Unforgiven, definitely.














And I’m a huge Christian Bale fan and loved 3:10 to Yuma, so that’s definitely on the list.












And the entire series of Deadwood to round things out.










7 - Well, now I'm dying for a peek at what a Kelly Boyce western looks like. Tell us all about Connor Langston.

Aside from being the hottest thing to hit Fatal Bluff since the railway stop, Connor Langston is a good guy trying to do the best he can with the circumstances forced upon him after his brother’s death.

He is a man of honor, whether he likes it or not, and has an indelible sense of right and wrong. And did I mention stubborn and prideful? He starts the story seeing life strictly in black and white, but bit by bit learns things are often shadowed with shades of grey.

8 - And Katherine Slade?

Ah, Katherine…

If ever there was a woman with a streak of bad luck, she would be it. But God love her, that isn’t enough to stop her from trying to do the right thing.

Unfortunately, when a promise to a dead man brings her to Fatal Bluff, her need to make amends collides with her bad luck and she finds herself taking on an assumed identity.

Given that she can’t seem to lie her way out of a jam with any sense of finesse, this charade is destined to end badly. But Kate is never one to give up, and as the story goes along, her sense of justice and determination do not let her down.

9 - What's in store for The Brides of Fatal Bluffs series?

On her way to keep her promise, Katherine meets up with two other mail order brides on their way to Fatal Bluff to meet their intended husbands. Each of these brides will get their own book, and I am toying with an idea for a fourth in the series starring a certain bounty hunter you’ll meet in The Outlaw Bride.

10 - You'll be appearing all over the blogosphere this week - what other stops can readers find you on The Outlaw Bride train?

I am all over the blogosphere this week! Aside from hanging out with you and your lovely readers, I am also making the following appearances:








April 18th: ThePopCultureDivas

Manic Readers

April 19th: My blog!

April 20th: Carina Press Blog as well as Carina’s Facebook page

April 23rd: Petticoats & Pistols

Thank you, Kelly - and congratulations on this very special milestone.

Here is an exclusive excerpt from The Outlaw Bride:




Connor Langston dropped the wanted poster on his desk. He stood, the chair scraping across the floor behind him. Weariness settled into his bones. He placed both his hands on the small of his back and stretched the muscles.

“If the woman doesn’t want to marry Figg, I can’t force her, Oliver.”

“I understand, Sheriff. I just don’t want her to create a scene. I have my business reputation to consider.” Oliver Hewitt patted down the thin ridge of black hair that wound around his shiny head. A sly, hopeful expression blanketed his features. “You know, Sheriff, if she won’t marry Figg, perhaps you should marry her. Lord knows you could use a wife, what with your current predicament and all.”

Connor’s jaw prickled with warmth. He didn’t need anyone musing about his predicament, current or otherwise. It irritated the hell out of him that eight years later the people in this town still looked upon him with pity. He was tired of their sympathy doled out in the tragic clucking of tongues and heartfelt pats on the backs. He didn’t need the constant reminder. He just wanted to get on with his life.

“I don’t need a wife,” he bit out, glaring at the small man.

The sound of raised voices filtered through the half-open door.

“Oh dear…” Oliver’s shoulders hunched up to his ears as if he could block out the noise. “Sheriff, please!”

Connor’s patience snapped. “Dammit, Oliver! Can’t you ever take on a venture without it turning into a complete disaster?”

The deep baritone of Bart’s voice interrupted Connor’s outburst before Oliver could respond. “Why don’t you run along, Oliver. We’ll be right behind you.”

“Yes, yes. Perfect. Wonderful. Thank you, Sheriff!” Oliver spun around quickly and hustled out the door, reminding Connor of a waddling duck.

Bart pulled out a cheroot from the front pocket of his shirt and lit the end. “Stop glarin’ after the man, son, and let’s go break up the brouhaha.”

Connor stalked to the door and yanked his hat from the hook, jamming it onto his head. “Why am I getting dragged into this?”

Bart chuckled, a low rumble from deep within his chest. He slapped Connor on the back. “You’re getting dragged into this, son, because one day you woke up, rolled outta bed and said, ‘Today I think I wanna be sheriff.’”

Connor barely remembered that day. At the time there had been too many other things to think about.

A shriek interrupted his thoughts and he picked up the pace, running across the street toward the train depot, where a growing crowd waited to greet him.

Though he suspected there wasn’t much left in the world to surprise him, Connor had to admit finding a feisty red-headed woman dangling arse end up over Walter Figg’s shoulder was a bit startling.

“Put me down! I don’t care what you were expecting, I changed my mind. Now let me go this instant and go back under the rock you crawled out from! I will not marry you and you can’t make me.” Small fists pounded Walter’s back with all the fury of a cornered bobcat.

“Shut yer yap, woman.”

A string of colorful names rent the air. “Get your filthy hands off me, you flea-bitten warthog!”

Standing in the crowd, Clara Bates gasped and slapped her hands over her son’s ears. Several others snickered, the ruckus breaking up the monotonous routine of their day. Walter appeared the only one unmoved by the woman’s declaration, or her flailing limbs.

With a frustrated groan, Connor shouldered his way through the growing crowd to stand in front of the jilted groom. This was not how he had planned on spending his day, arguing with the slow-witted mountain man and kicking up a row for all the townsfolk to mull over and discuss for a week of Sundays.

For about the tenth time that day, Connor seriously questioned the new vocation he had acquired. With a weary shake of his head, he pointed to the boardwalk in front of him and addressed the would-be groom. “Walter, put the lady down.”

- Kelly Boyce, 2011

The Outlaw Bride is available from Carina Press TODAY - Click here for details

Thursday Thirteen - 160 - 13 Questions For Pamela Callow, Author of Damaged

It's my very great pleasure to introduce Pamela Callow, a fellow writer from Romance Writers of Atlantic Canada. Her debut novel releases next week, and Pam is a perpetual motion machine these days!

1 - You're currently in the midst of a whirlwind promo tour - how is that going?

It's pretty exciting to be attending Book Expo America in NYC. I'm doing three signings of Damaged, as well as a podcast interview.

Then I head to Toronto, where I am on a thriller panel at the Bloody Words conference with Linwood Barclay and Rick Mofina (amongst others), and will be one of their ten Mystery Cafe authors. My publisher has invited me to tour their offices in Toronto, where I will be signing Damaged for their staff. I'm looking forward to meeting the production team behind Damaged. They have worked incredibly hard on the book.

Then home to Halifax to do an interview with Starr Dobson on Live at Five on June 1. Can't wait for Damaged's Halifax launch on June 3rd at The Carleton. I will also be a guest speaker at the Halifax Club's literary luncheon on June 11th. I have a signing in the works with Halifax Chapters, date to be finalized.

A few weeks later I return to NYC as one of the International Thriller Writers' Debut Authors, and will sign my book after the Debut Authors Breakfast at Thrillerfest 2010.

2 - Wow, Pam - I'm getting jet lagged, just hearing about it! As a debut author, did you imagine how much of your attention would have to go towards promotion?

Well, I'd heard rumours that it would consume a lot of time ... the challenge is to juggle it.

Because I have four books coming out in the next two years, I've just finished the line edits on Indefensible (January 2011), and am working on the first draft of Tattooed (Summer, 2011), while launching Damaged. I've been very lucky that my publisher has a publicist overseeing my book, and I have a wonderful local publicist who is helping me with all the media activity in the Maritimes.

3 – Your publisher, MIRA Books, has really gotten behind you as far as promoting Damaged. But how much of your own strategy, time and effort has gone into this first stab at a book launch?

It's definitely a two way street.

Just after I sold Damaged to MIRA, I read an article on thriller author Barry Eisler's blog that really resonated with me. He spoke about how a debut author has to prove to their publisher that they are worth the investment of those in-demand publisher promotional dollars. He also spoke about how the publisher is really the debut author's client. Having come from a client-service career, I understood his message.

So I worked very hard to prove to my publisher that their investment in me would yield results. One of those areas was attending various conferences. It was there I met several authors who ultimately gave Damaged some wonderful endorsements.

4 – What role would you say writer’s conferences have had in Damaged’s journey to store shelves?

Writer's conferences have had a huge impact on my career. I met my editor, Valerie Gray, at the Surrey International Writers' Conference, where I successfully pitched Damaged! As I mentioned, I also met a number of authors at conferences who generously provided quotes.

5 – Damaged is a bit of a hybrid book – part bio-medical thriller, part legal thriller, with a healthy dose of romantic elements thrown in. You’re also part of several different writers’ associations. How do you think this has impacted Damaged?

I think the hybrid nature of the book is a reflection of the diversity of things that interest me. I read broadly. I think that a good book has universal elements that cross all genres. Thus, when I wrote Damaged, I wrote a story that satisfied me on an intellectual and emotional level.

Writing organizations helped me learn the craft of novel-writing - obviously having a huge impact in writing Damaged! They've also given me a wonderful network of friends. Writing can be lonely.

6 – As someone who has been admitted to the bar, your ease with creating a legal atmosphere can be regarded as ‘writing what you know’. What inspiration did you use for the bio-medical aspects of your story?

The biomedical aspect of Damaged was inspired by an actual US criminal case. But I didn't want to write a fictionalized account of it. I used it as a springboard for a thriller novel, putting an ordinary woman in the lead, adding some twists, and creating a second, intertwining plot.



7 – Damaged is only the first of a series featuring your main character, Kate Lange. What can we look forward to, and when do they come out?

Indefensible, the second book of the series, comes out in January 2011. The book takes place only four months after the events of Damaged. Kate is dealing with post-traumatic stress, her law firm is re-building itself after the hits it took in Damaged - and her managing partner is under suspicion of murdering his ex-wife. Indefensible explores the impact of a wrongful accusation on an accused, on the victims, on the family.

The third book of the series, Tattooed, comes out in Summer 2011. It takes place ten months after Indefensible, and combines both a cold case and serial murder. I'm introducing a tattoo artist named Kenzie Sloane to the series, and am excited about her! She's very much Kate's alter-ego. The research has been fascinating.

The fourth book is still in the works, so stay tuned. It is slated for publication in June 2012.

8 – Is Kate someone you would enjoy spending time with? How about Randall Barrett?

I call Kate my everywoman superwoman - she struggles with her career, her house is messy, she was just adopted by an abandoned husky and she can't afford to hire a plumber.

She has a dry sense of humour, is quite courageous, but due to an event when she was a teenager, she struggles with close connections. When Damaged opens, we learn that Kate is still dealing with a bitter break-up, partly due to her inability to trust. This is her journey, and as the series develops we see Kate learn how to open up to the people who come into her life. Yeah, I like her .

Randall Barrett, on the other hand, is a man who has risen to the top of his profession through his intellect, his charisma and his drive. He is ruthless and ambitious.

He's the kind of guy that you can't help but want - although you know how dangerous and possibly self-destructive that would be. I'd like to hang out with Randall Barrett on his sailboat, or when he's working in his garden, because that's when he is able to let the forces that drive him take a break.

9 – How difficult was it to write a dark character?

It's difficult. I found it especially draining to write the antagonist's character in Indefensible. You have to go to a very dark place. And then snap out of it to make supper for your kids.

10 – Were you surprised by the critical response you’ve been getting so far? And about the enthusiasm of the quotes you’ve had from authors like James Rollins, Rick Mofina and Linwood Barclay?

Of course, I'm surprised - and delighted - when reviews are positive. I never assume that every reviewer will love - or even like - my book. Creative efforts are by their nature subjective. Thus, so is their measure.

Regarding the quotes from James Rollins, Rick Mofina and Linwood Barclay, I was thrilled by them. I have such great admiration for each of them. They are all authors at the top of their craft. For them to be willing to put their name on a quote about my book is a huge compliment.

11 – What is your typical writer’s day like? Or is there such a thing?

I do have a schedule. I've had one for years, in fact.

Once my kids get to school and the dog is walked, I sit down at my computer. I catch up on emails while the coffee is brewing. Then, depending which stage of a book I'm working on, I either unplug the internet so I can write, or I conduct research and plot out my book, or I edit. I work until the school day ends.

Then I do my mom thing.

Then I start working again around 8 p.m. Since I sold Damaged, I work every weekend.

12 – Have you altered your approach to writing over the years, or do you stand by a tried-and-true method that works for you?

I do more upfront plotting, for two reasons: one, I need to know how the story will develop so I don't write myself into a box; and two, my deadlines are so short that I can't afford the time involved in fixing a massive mistake.

That means I do a number of interviews with various police, forensic and subject matter experts while I am working on a proposal.

Then I send it to my editor. I get her feedback, then I write a more extensive proposal so we both are comfortable with the development of the book, then I write the book.

13 – Now that ‘get published’ has been ticked off your list, what are three things you’ve dreamed of doing and would like to try?

1. Being the creative consultant on a TV series or movie
2. Living in another country and/or travelling around the world
3. Exchanging vows with my husband on a private Caribbean beach, with my family and my dog present.

Thank you so much, Pam, for dropping by A Piece of My Mind. Here's a look at the book trailer for Damaged:



Heidi Hamburg says Counting down one week to launch! Pam, with all the promo going on, at least you don't have time to get nervous!

Lilly Cain says What a fantastic interview! Pam, you are driven by the creative force within. Congratulations on your growing success!

Jill Conyers says Enjoyed the interview. As an avid reader I enjoy hearing about the behind the scenes of books.