Hi Deb! We are very pleased to welcome you to Fallen Angel Reviews. Thank you for taking the time to speak with us.

Your work, In Nick's Arms, has been very well received. Can you tell us a little about Caitlin and Nick's story?

In Nick's Arms is a story of two people each getting a second chance at love. Nick Bentley is a wealthy architect just coming off of a painful divorce and is on his way to a small town called Lassiter to renovate a century old farmhouse. It's a chance for him to "get lost" for a while and regroup. On his way to Lassiter, he checks into a hotel where he is captivated by a beautiful brunette named "C.J." who is singing in the hotel's club. The two of them spend an evening of dancing, laughing, and flirting and Nick gets the surprise of his life when he retires to his room and finds C.J. waiting for him, obviously in the mood for love. Unfortunately, C.J. flees before things get too far and Nick, being the gentleman he is, lets her go. When he arrives in Lassiter, he gets an even bigger surprise when his nearest neighbor turns out to be his beautiful brunette! Only, C.J.'s real name is Caitlin and despite her obvious attraction to him, she continues to put up roadblocks to any kind of relationship between them. Caitlin is obviously haunted by her past, but her growing love for Nick ultimately overshadows her fears and she learns to love and trust again in Nick's arms.

What inspired the idea for this story?

I’ve always had a secret fantasy to be a singer and to have the ability to dance around on stage with absolutely no inhibitions. Since I can’t sing or dance very well, I made Caitlin a singer, which made it fun to live out my fantasy vicariously through her. I’ve also always wanted to live in a century old house with nooks, crannies, and hidden attics, so that became the backdrop of the story. Throwing in a gorgeous stranger, a little intrigue, and of course, lots of romance pulled the whole idea together for me.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of becoming a published author?

Writing is something I’ve enjoyed doing since I was in the third grade, and it’s always been a hobby more than anything until I decided to get serious about it. It took a long time to get to that point, but once I saw my own words in print and knew that some people were actually enjoying my stories and characters, it gave me a sense of validation. It’s also given me the incentive and the confidence to stay motivated and hopefully one day I’ll be able to stay home and write full-time.

You currently have more than one work in progress, how do you develop multiple storylines?

I usually get ideas for new storylines just by watching an old movie or going for a long walk with my head phones on or simply watching and listening to people around me. Sometimes just talking to someone can generate a new plot. One of my closest friends is a published author and we like to bounce ideas off of each other. Once I asked every woman in my office to write a brief synopsis of how they met their mate and I’ve actually put some of their stories on the back burner. I still consider contemporary romances my favorite type of book to write, but recently I’ve started writing paranormal and erotica. I find that trying new genres keeps me motivated and inspires me to get more creative and adventurous with my writing.

Do you write each story from start to finish or work on the stories as the characters call to you?

I usually have at least three or four books in progress at the same time and my mood usually dictates which one I’m most interested in working on at a given moment. If I hit a roadblock and don’t know where I want to take the story, I’ll work on another one for a while. I’m one of those authors who edits as I go, so that slows me down a lot, but once I get close to the end of a book, then I try to concentrate solely on that one until it’s finished.

If there were one thing you could ensure readers come away with after reading your books, what would it be?

Definitely that the book touched them in some way. I love it when someone tells me a particular scene made them laugh or cry, or when someone says they wish they had someone like Nick in their lives. It makes me feel I was able to create a memorable character, one they won’t forget for a while. Mainly I just want my readers to enjoy the ride enough that they’ll look forward to reading my next book.

Besides writing, you also have a full time job and a family. How do you balance the demands of career and family?

If there was one single thing I could have more of, it would absolutely be time. Women all over the world are trying to balance careers and families, so I’m not special in that respect. But I sometimes get very frustrated when other responsibilities or demands on my time interfere with those moments when I simply want to get back to my computer. At least when I do have free time to write, I appreciate it more and I push myself to be more productive. Fortunately, my family is not only supportive; they don’t even grumble that much when I insist on going away to a motel for a weekend where it’s just me and the keyboard.

You have numerous author links on your website. Is there a particular author you can't pass an opportunity to read?

My favorite romance authors of all time are Kathleen Woodiwiss, Nora Roberts, and Sandra Brown. I’ve read just about everything they’ve ever written, and even though I don’t have time to read as often as I would like, I always buy their latest books and put them away for that elusive rainy day.

Wherever You Are should be coming in January 2006 from Wings ePress. For those that have not read your excerpt, can you tell us a little about the story?

This book is my sentimental favorite over anything I've written simply because it's my very first effort at writing a romance novel. I started writing it over 22 years ago when I was pregnant with my second child, so you can imagine how many drafts it has gone through in order to keep up with the times! I love the character of Brodie McLean because he's a famous Hollywood action star and I've loved movie actors and actresses since I was a kid. Samantha Carey is the lucky lady who meets him on a sunny beach in California, falls madly in love with him, only to get her heart broken when Brodie suddenly and without explanation drops out of her life. When he returns a year later, he makes it very clear she is the only woman for him, but Samantha is naturally hesitant to travel down the road to heartache a second time. What defines the romance in this book for me are the various ways in which Brodie valiantly tries to prove his love for Sam. But when Sam learns to what extent Brodie has gone to prove his love, it's too late as her resistance to getting hurt again sends Brodie packing. This time it's Sam who has to reach out to Brodie to prove he's the only man for her. I couldn't resist a Hollywood-type ending to the book, but hopefully, readers will love it for the romance and not think it's too corny!

You also have A Christmas Tale coming just in time for the holidays. The Christmas House written as Jaime McKoy is scheduled for release on December 1st. Can you give us a hint about this holiday treat?

I have always loved writing rhyme and The Christmas House is actually a story I wrote quite a few years ago. It's a fantasy of one woman's midnight journey to a magical castle where she encounters many wonderful sights and sounds of this very special time of year. She comes away with a whole new perspective of what makes Christmas so special. I wrote the story for our community newsletter and I somehow managed to incorporate the name of every child in our neighborhood. It received such an enthusiastic response from so many friends, family, and neighbors, that I decided to revise it and test the waters for publication. Sadly, I had to remove the names of the children, but I love the story and I think it still maintains the message I was trying to convey - that Christmas truly is magical if you simply believe and don't get caught up in the commercialism and endless tasks that sometimes make the holiday seem more of a chore than a blessing. Of course the fantasy element is prevalent throughout, but it's the little twist at the end that readers seem to enjoy the most.

Besides the obvious success you have with your current work, what else would you like to achieve as an author?

I would simply like to keep writing as long as I can and hopefully perfect my craft to where writing comes as easily as breathing. I don't write as fast as I would like, and I regret I didn't get more serious about writing when I was younger. I was floored, but pleasantly surprised to get such good reviews on In Nick's Arms and if I can continue to put out books that readers enjoy and are left with a good feeling after reading the last page, then that would bring me a lot of joy and satisfaction. Of course, a movie deal somewhere down the road would be nice - LOL.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

I just recently completed a contemporary romance called Like A Hurricane which is under consideration with another publisher. I had a lot of fun with this one because it’s more lighthearted than In Nick’s Arms or Wherever You Are. I injected more humor and made my heroine kind of quirky with a tendency to speak before she thinks. Her spontaneity gets her into trouble a lot and that was fun to write. I hope to find success writing paranormal and erotica, but a project dear to my heart is a series of children’s books I’m currently fleshing out with my granddaughter as the main character. Those books will be written under the name of Jaime McKoy.

Thank you Deb for stopping by. It has been a real treat getting to speak with you. I know I am planning to buy The Christmas House as soon as it is available.

Readers, if you have not visited Deb’s site, take a moment and stop by. You won’t be disappointed.

Interviewed by: Amanda