Category Archives: Ten Awkward Author Questions
Ten Awkward Questions with Elizabeth Cohen
In this segment, authors will be subjected to a list of awkward questions that may reveal more about themselves than they really wish to share, and they will receive a score on the ‘Braveometer’. If they choose to answer only five questions, they are a ‘Brave Author’, if they answer 6 to 9 questions they are a ‘Mega-Brave Author’, and if they answer all 10 questions they are an ‘Ultra-Brave Author’!
Please welcome Elizabeth Cohen, whose book The Hypothetical Girl was featured on Oprah.com as Book of the Week…
1. If only one of your books could have been / could be published, which one would you choose? (C’mon, I don’t want to hear ‘Oh, I love them all, there’s no way I could choose.’ Time to be ruthless, these are the Ten Awkward Questions after all!)
The House on Beartown Road (in paperback, The Family on Beartown Road. I love my short story collection, but this memoir is about the hard and beautiful two years I spent with my baby and my father, and it is a cornerstone of my actual and writing lives.
2. Okay, now which one of your children/family members would you… nah, just kidding! Which of the following words most accurately describes your best personality trait (you must pick only one!):
Punctual. Good listener. Neat. Graceful. Generous. Cheerful.
Good Good Good listener. Love to listen. Might take notes. Might steal (be careful what you say to me).
3. Which of the following words most accurately describes your worst most challenging personality trait (even if you’re perfect, you must pick one):
Always late. Blabbermouth. Slob. Complete klutz. Scrooge. Grumpy pants.
Oh no, I am NOT perfect. For sure. I will go with slob here. But only in some areas. Like the BACK of my closet. The RIGHT SIDE of my desk. That one drawer you allow to beocme complete chaos (c’mon, you have one too, admit it!). Let’s call it controlled slobbery.
4. Have you ever had a romantic crush on one of your characters? Who and why?
I am in LOVE with them, but not romantically. I want to buy them all chocolates and take them to really good, cathartic foreign movies and make them soup because these characters NEED A BREAK. But romantic feelings, nope.
5. When writing an important scene, do you act it out to allow you to better describe what’s happening?
Never. But I do dream it. Yes. First. Then write it.
6. Do you talk to yourself when writing or coming up with plot ideas?
Never, but I do occasionally talk to my cousin Stuey Cohen or one of my best friends, Ruth Lopez. Then they typicallly say, either—that is hysterical, priceless, or that’s sh*t, babe. I trust them completely. And for that I thank them.
7. Who would be ideal to play YOU in a movie of your life?
HAHA. Um. Hmmmm. Julianna Margolies. It is a hair thing.
8. If you could be any book character for one day, who would you be and why?
Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, DUH.
9. You’re about to be left on a deserted island for a year, and while your basic food and water needs will be met, you can only bring one extra thing from the following. Which would you choose?
a) A pen and notepad that never runs out
b) An unlimited supply of books
c) An unlimited supply of chocolate, coffee, or alcohol (your choice)
d) A gorgeous man/woman depending on your preference
I am going with the pen and notebook. But I would miss the gorgeous person. I think I would have to write about that.
10. If you had the attention of the whole world for two minutes what would you say?
Dear Everyone in the Whole World:
There is much you are likely upset about. Like, for example. the fact that you cannot get really good tomatoes in the winter, your toilet is clogged, that there isn’t enough water for your village, or the person you love just left you. And to that I say, welcome to the tribe of humanity. Whatever you are experiencing has been experienced before and will be again. If you take a moment to think about it, all pain is known pain, and it has all been written about beautifully.
The good news is that most bad things are temporary. That eventually you probably WILL get a good tomato, you will find water or someone nice will likely bring you some, there are these things called “snakes” that can unclog a toilet fast, and they are cheap! As for the person who left you… They were not worth your time anyway. And the best part: You can write about all of it. You own your story. It is yours, to write or die holding secret. That is a powerful thing, if you think about it. Plus, every single night there MIGHT be a meteor shower.
Love,
Elizabeth
(whose toilet would not unclog for a month, who has eaten many really lame tomatoes, had her water pipes freeze and burst and who was left by her husband…witnessed profoundly beautiful and LONGass meteor showers …and wrote about it all).
Was that two minutes? Well, read it faster, then.
Thanks for taking part, Elizabeth, you have been awarded Ultra-Brave Author status on the Braveometer!
>> WIN! Elizabeth has an ongoing 350-word love story contest at www.thehypotheticalgirl.com – click on FLASHLOVE to enter for a chance to win a signed copy of The Hypothetical Girl, open worldwide 🙂
>> You can also visit Elizabeth at Facebook and Twitter, and check out her book here.
Ten Awkward Questions with Emma Mills
In this segment, authors will be subjected to a list of awkward questions that may reveal more about themselves than they really wish to share, and they will receive a score on the ‘Braveometer’. If they choose to answer only five questions, they are a ‘Brave Author’, if they answer 6 to 9 questions they are a ‘Mega-Brave Author’, and if they answer all 10 questions they are an ‘Ultra-Brave Author’!
Today, please welcome YA author, Emma Mills, who is celebrating the release of WitchHunt!
1. If only one of your books could have been / could be published, which one would you choose? (C’mon, I don’t want to hear ‘Oh, I love them all, there’s no way I could choose.’ Time to be ruthless, these are the Ten Awkward Questions after all!)
Hmm the problem with this question is that so far I have only written a book series and you really need to read them in order! So it would need to be WitchBlood, because without the beginning the rest wouldn’t make sense! However, WitchBlood was my first attempt at writing and since then I have learnt a LOT! And I know from my reviews that my books have become better with each new release… so WitchBlood (but I should probably do a re-edit!)
2. Okay, now which one of your children/family members would you… nah, just kidding! Which of the following words most accurately describes your best personality trait (you must pick only one!):
Punctual. Good listener. Neat. Graceful. Generous. Cheerful.
Hmmm Punctual…possibly, but mostly ‘last minute’. Good Listener… I try to be. Neat… definitely not and I don’t think I’m particularly cheerful either. Maybe Graceful is the best (I still have the ‘bottom in/shoulders back’ posture that was drummed into me at ballet school). I was training to be a dancer until I injured my back at age 17.
3. Which of the following words most accurately describes your worst most challenging personality trait (even if you’re perfect, you must pick one):
Always late. Blabbermouth. Slob. Complete klutz. Scrooge. Grumpy pants.
Haha! It’s a choice between Slob and Grumpy Pants! Recently as I’ve been selling our house I have been forced to be tidier and clean more often, but due to the extra stress of my husband working 250 miles away I think I’ve been extra grumpy… So let’s go with Grumpy Cat… who I feel a certain affinity with!
4. Have you ever had a romantic crush on one of your characters? Who and why?
Hmm generally all the WitchBlood fans seem to love the vampire Daniel (as they should) but because I created him as a main character and know all his idiosyncrasies it feels weird in an almost incestuous way… I also have a soft spot for the clan leader Sebastian. It’s a power thing, also he’s very sexy!
5. When writing an important scene, do you act it out to allow you to better describe what’s happening?
Erm no! No acting here, but I do visualise it. I’ve always been excellent at daydreaming; in fact it showed up on my school report cards many times! So the characters become very real in my head.
6. Do you talk to yourself when writing or coming up with plot ideas?
Yes, I both talk to myself and hum a lot! But when your kids are at school and your husband is working 250 miles away, you have to talk to someone right? I even talk in my sleep…
7. Who would be ideal to play YOU in a movie of your life?
My life is going to have to get a LOT more interesting for there to be a movie made… but if I was to choose an actress… I’d go for Liv Tyler because I love her. I love that she’s not skinny, that she got to be an elf and she’s got similar hair to mine. She’s also only 1 year younger 🙂
8. If you could be any book character for one day, who would you be and why?
I’m tempted to choose Bella Swan, not because I love her character, but because I’d get to stand at the top of a redwood tree with Edward Cullen… but I think I’d have more fun choosing to be Thursday Next from Jasper Fforde’s The Eyre Affair. It’s about as close as you can get to travelling through time & space (minus The Doctor) AND you travel into literary classics. What could be better?
9. You’re about to be left on a deserted island for a year, and while your basic food and water needs will be met, you can only bring one extra thing from the following. Which would you choose?
a) A pen and notepad that never runs out
b) An unlimited supply of books
c) An unlimited supply of chocolate, coffee, or alcohol (your choice)
d) A gorgeous man/woman depending on your preference
I hate these questions and refuse to answer… I can never choose and will never get stranded on a deserted island… see I told you I could be grumpy!
10. If you had the attention of the whole world for two minutes what would you say?
Errm ‘Hi…’ and ‘Errm what the heck is going on? Why do you want to kill each other? And can we please start being nicer to animals?’ Then I’d sidle away quickly and quietly… blushing bright red!
Thanks Emma, you have been awarded Ultra-Brave Author on the Braveometer! Okay so question 9 was almost an answer, but I’ll give it to you 😉
Emma’s latest release: WitchHunt
As the Christmas season is ripped apart by the news that Jess’ old friend Alex has been turned into a vicious killer, festivities are dropped, Jess returns to England and the hunt begins. But Alex isn’t the only one being hunted, for Mary has found a way to extinguish the entire bloodline of Malden witches, and it is Jess’s book of shadows that’s the key. As things hot up, Jess finds she must leave Daniel and the safety of Manchester in a final hunt for her nemesis, Mary. In a fight-off that only one of them can survive, loved ones will fall… daemons will rise… but who will survive?
Find Emma online:
Facebook | Blog | Twitter | Goodreads |
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>>WIN! To score an ecopy of WitchBlood, the first book in Emma’s paranormal YA series, please leave a comment below. Bonus entry if you like Emma’s Facebook page (let us know in the comments that you’ve liked it).
Winner will be drawn 18th November and notified via email and on this blog. Good luck!
Ten Awkward Questions with Abby Cavenaugh [Plus Giveaway!]
In this segment, authors will be subjected to a list of awkward questions that may reveal more about themselves than they really wish to share, and they will receive a score on the ‘Braveometer’. If they choose to answer only five questions, they are a ‘Brave Author’, if they answer 6 to 9 questions they are a ‘Mega-Brave Author’, and if they answer all 10 questions they are an ‘Ultra-Brave Author’!
Please welcome Swoon Romance author, Abby Cavenaugh!
1. If only one of your books could have been / could be published, which one would you choose? (C’mon, I don’t want to hear ‘Oh, I love them all, there’s no way I could choose.’ Time to be ruthless, these are the Ten Awkward Questions after all!)
Since I am a debut author, I’m afraid I get the easy way out of this question. I always wanted GOING HOME AGAIN to be published first, and it was. I have another work-in-progress romance novel I’m working on, and also a YA that I’ve finished but I’m considering rewriting it. If I had to choose between the three of these manuscripts, I’d still choose GOING HOME AGAIN, because I worked on the story for four years and it was so wonderful to finally see all my work pay off.
2. Okay, now which one of your children/family members would you… nah, just kidding! Which of the following words most accurately describes your best personality trait (you must pick only one!):
Punctual. Good listener. Neat. Graceful. Generous. Cheerful.
Since I am none of the above, except a good listener and generous, I’d say my best personality trait is probably that I’m a good listener, although I am very generous too. Since I’m not a bestselling author (yet), I can’t afford to give to charities the way I wish I could or buy things for my family and friends that I would love to, so I’m going with good listener. Yup. Hopefully my friends would agree! I try to be there for them whenever they need me.
3. Which of the following words most accurately describes your worst most challenging personality trait (even if you’re perfect, you must pick one):
Always late. Blabbermouth. Slob. Complete klutz. Scrooge. Grumpy pants.
I’ll go ahead and say it is my worst personality trait—I can totally be a Grumpy Pants sometimes. I’m really working on that and trying not to be so grumpy anymore, but at certain times, I just can’t help it and I must be cranky!!!!
4. Have you ever had a romantic crush on one of your characters? Who and why?
Yes. I have a crush on Michael Day in GOING HOME AGAIN. He has his flaws, but since I created him, he’s pretty much the man of my dreams. Gorgeous, funny, smart, talented… he’s got it all. *Le sigh*
5. When writing an important scene, do you act it out to allow you to better describe what’s happening?
Yes, I totally acted out my love scenes with the inspiration for Michael Day. Haha, I wish! No, I really don’t act out my scenes, but many of the things that happen in my novels have happened to me, so I know what it feels like. Or at least I can imagine. 🙂
6. Do you talk to yourself when writing or coming up with plot ideas?
I look in the mirror and say, “Abby Cavenaugh, you evil genius!”
7. Who would be ideal to play YOU in a movie of your life?
If I had my choice, Kate Winslet circa “Titanic” when she was curvy and redheaded. I’m brunette but my hair has a hint of red, and I think she’d be perfect to play me. Of course, she’s far more beautiful than me, but let’s face it. No one’s ever going to make a movie of my life anyway.
8. If you could be any book character for one day, who would you be and why?
I would be Alyssa Jones in GOING HOME AGAIN (not trying to pimp out my book, really… I’m being honest!) because as I said, Michael Day is the man of my dreams, and it’d be fantastic to actually know what it’s like to be with a wonderful man!
9. You’re about to be left on a deserted island for a year, and while your basic food and water needs will be met, you can only bring one extra thing from the following. Which would you choose?
a) A pen and notepad that never runs out
b) An unlimited supply of books
c) An unlimited supply of chocolate, coffee, or alcohol (your choice)
d) A gorgeous man/woman depending on your preference
Oh man, that’s a tough one. I would definitely love an unlimited supply of chocolate, but I might go nuts if I didn’t have any way to write down ideas, thoughts and feelings! So I guess I would have to say a pen and notepad that never runs out. That way, at least I could write myself new stories so I have something to read! Haha.
10. If you had the attention of the whole world for two minutes what would you say?
I’d say, “Listen, people. We’d all be a whole lot better off if we did less judging, had more compassion and realized that the most important thing in life is love, not money or power or guns or anything stupid like that. Everyone needs love. Not romantic love but love for your friends and family and your fellow human beings. On the inside, we’re all the same. The sooner we all realize that, the better all of us will be.”
Thanks for taking part, Abby! You have been awarded Ultra Brave Author on the Braveometer!
Visit Abby online at her website/blog, twitter, and facebook.
>>WIN! You could win a copy of Abby’s novel, GOING HOME AGAIN, or a Swoon Romance title of your choice. Simply leave a comment to be entered in the draw! Winner will be drawn on 1st November and notified via email.
More about GOING HOME AGAIN…
In high school, it was doubtful Michael Day knew Alyssa Jones existed.
Twenty years later, when the now-famous pop star returns home to coastal North Carolina, Alyssa gets a second chance to make a first impression on Michael.
On sabbatical from his failing marriage, Michael agrees to an interview with Alyssa, a journalist for the local tourist magazine.
When the chemistry between them ignites, Alyssa and Michael are hit with the harsh reality that he isn’t yet free to love her.
With Michael’s wife and son still very much in the picture, can Alyssa hold out until he ends his marriage for good? Or will she risk it all for a second chance with the one who got away?
Add it to Goodreads.
Buy now on Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble.
Ten Awkward Questions with Zee Monodee
In this segment, authors will be subjected to a list of awkward questions that may reveal more about themselves than they really wish to share, and they will receive a score on the ‘Braveometer’. If they choose to answer only five questions, they are a ‘Brave Author’, if they answer 6 to 9 questions they are a ‘Mega-Brave Author’, and if they answer all 10 questions they are an ‘Ultra-Brave Author’!
Please welcome, author, Zee Monodee!
1. If only one of your books could have been / could be published, which one would you choose? (C’mon, I don’t want to hear ‘Oh, I love them all, there’s no way I could choose.’ Time to be ruthless, these are the Ten Awkward Questions after all!)
The Other Side. It was my first ever story, the tale that prompted me to plunge into writing. My original plan was to write this story and be done with writing, so if I had to bring it down to one, this would win. 🙂
2. Okay, now which one of your children/family members would you… nah, just kidding! Which of the following words most accurately describes your best personality trait (you must pick only one!):
Punctual. Good listener. Neat. Graceful. Generous. Cheerful.
Cheerful
3. Which of the following words most accurately describes your worst most challenging personality trait (even if you’re perfect, you must pick one):
Always late. Blabbermouth. Slob. Complete klutz. Scrooge. Grumpy pants.
Slob (just ask the dust bunnies in my house, lol)
4. Have you ever had a romantic crush on one of your characters? Who and why?
*secret* All of them. 🙂 I cannot conceive of writing a hero if I’m not crushing/half in love with him already. And they’re not called heroes for nothing; I mean, if you’re not falling for them, how can you expect your reader to root for these guys?
5. When writing an important scene, do you act it out to allow you to better describe what’s happening?
Act, no. But I daydream all my scenes, kinda like a director imagining the perfect unrolling of every element. I have, however, acted out a few fight scenes from my espionage books, just to know if the actions I’m writing about are plausible or not.
6. Do you talk to yourself when writing or coming up with plot ideas?
Out loud? No. But I’m always having discussions with myself in my head. My husband says he can figure out exactly when I’m in my ‘bubble’ because of the ‘look’ I get on my face.
7. Who would be ideal to play YOU in a movie of your life?
I see someone like Glee’s Lea Michelle. We’re of the same height/build, have the same darkish physical looks (and she could pass for Indian-origin, like me), pretty much the same age, and I tend to break into song at odd moments (especially in my kitchen). She also has that innocent or mischievous/troublemaker look that my husband says echoes mine, too. My life’s also been filled with drama (a divorce and then two brushes with cancer before I was 28) and Lea can do comedy as well as drama/emotion very well.
8. If you could be any book character for one day, who would you be and why?
Serena Van der Woodsen or Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl. New York/Upper East Side, endless shopping, walk-in wardrobes, designer clothes, fabulous jewellery, more shoes than you can ever hope to wear, glamorous parties, chic residences, not to mention the hunks that gravitate in their world. Yes, I’d love to be this vain and carefree for a day (and get to shop without a care about money/savings). 🙂
9. You’re about to be left on a deserted island for a year, and while your basic food and water needs will be met, you can only bring one extra thing from the following. Which would you choose?
a) A pen and notepad that never runs out
b) An unlimited supply of books
c) An unlimited supply of chocolate, coffee, or alcohol (your choice)
d) A gorgeous man/woman depending on your preference
B. An endless supply of books. I’ll always have my imagination to come up with stories, and also with that ‘ideal’ man. *grin*
10. If you had the attention of the whole world for two minutes, what would you say?
Hmmm, toughest one, this…. Always try to follow your heart, because the voice there (whether you call it your conscience, inner soul/being, God, or something else) will never lead you astray. You have to believe in yourself before anyone else will believe in you.
Thanks for taking part, Zee, you have been awarded Ultra Brave Author on the Braveometer!
Visit Zee online at her blog, facebook, and twitter.
>>WIN! Be a character in one of Zee’s books in her small-town series set in Surrey or Yorkshire (England), simply by leaving a comment below! Open worldwide, winner drawn 25th October.
Ten Awkward Questions with Aurelia B Rowl [Plus bumper giveaway!]
In this segment, authors will be subjected to a list of awkward questions that may reveal more about themselves than they really wish to share, and they will receive a score on the ‘Braveometer’. If they choose to answer only five questions, they are a ‘Brave Author’, if they answer 6 to 9 questions they are a ‘Mega-Brave Author’, and if they answer all 10 questions they are an ‘Ultra-Brave Author’!
Please welcome Aurelia B Rowl, author of contemporary romance and young adult/new adult crossover to the blog today as part of her blog tour for Popping the Cherry!
1. If only one of your books could have been / could be published, which one would you choose? (C’mon, I don’t want to hear ‘Oh, I love them all, there’s no way I could choose.’ Time to be ruthless, these are the Ten Awkward Questions after all!)
I’d have to say Popping the Cherry – even though I will be forever grateful for Christmas is Cancelled – but Popping the Cherry was the first time it didn’t feel like a fluke, plus it’s in my favourite genre to read, full-length rather than novella, and there is a large cast of characters who were all heaps of fun to write. Plus I got to write it in British instead of having to Americanise it, and it is was signed by Harlequin UK’s new digital imprint Carina based purely on the first three chapters, which made me feel on top of the world. I finally felt like a ‘proper’ writer.
2. Okay, now which one of your children/family members would you… nah, just kidding! Which of the following words most accurately describes your best personality trait (you must pick only one!):
Punctual. Good listener. Neat. Graceful. Generous. Cheerful.
Hahahahaha. Okay, sorry, I’ll try to get myself together and get my laughter back under control… I’ll go with ‘cheerful’ seeing as children have killed my punctuality and neat genes. I am a good listener, but every conversation now has random interruptions from said children, and I’ve always been clumsy, yet elegant 😉 I hope I am considered generous, with my time and my knowledge if nothing else, seeing as there isn’t much else I can give.
3. Which of the following words most accurately describes your worst most challenging personality trait (even if you’re perfect, you must pick one):
Always late. Blabbermouth. Slob. Complete klutz. Scrooge. Grumpy pants.
Only one? That’s not fair! I could do so much better with this set, maybe even a full house on the more ‘challenging’ days. Since I can only pick one, I shall go for slob, purely because I can’t do everything with two young children and writing deadlines so something has to give, and that something just happens to be housework. Complete klutz can’t be far behind though, considering as I gave myself concussion at the kids’ sports day at school, at least I still walked away with the prize. Pity I don’t drink red wine really, but my husband was happy.
4. Have you ever had a romantic crush on one of your characters? Who and why?
Just one? I write books that I like to read, and heroes that make me swoon and fall a little bit in love. So yes… I have a soft spot for all of my leading men, even the ones seventeen years my junior, but sssssh, don’t tell 😉
5. When writing an important scene, do you act it out to allow you to better describe what’s happening?
I have a tendency to pull the facial expressions I want to use, so that I can then write them with some accuracy. Thankfully the dog doesn’t seem to notice, and if he does, he’s good enough not to call me on it. As for important scenes, no, I don’t act them out but I do get so emotionally invested I am often left either sobbing or in a foul ‘stand clear before she blows’ kind of mood.
6. Do you talk to yourself when writing or coming up with plot ideas?
I don’t talk to myself out loud, but I do have a habit of staring into space with a vacant look on my face as the conversations flow back and forth inside my mind.
7. Who would be ideal to play YOU in a movie of your life?
Ha, easy! I choose Kate Winslet. She’s gorgeous, fun, bubbly, curvy, a hard-working mum…and she’s within hours of being the exact same age as me. I’m not actually sure which of us is the elder.
8. If you could be any book character for one day, who would you be and why?
I’m going to go with my instant reaction to this, rather than give it a lot of thought, and say Hermione from Harry Potter. She’s smart, nerdy, out-spoken, a bit of a jobsworth and know-it-all, but she’s kind-hearted, brave, considerate, and fiercely loyal.
9. You’re about to be left on a deserted island for a year, and while your basic food and water needs will be met, you can only bring one extra thing from the following. Which would you choose?
a) A pen and notepad that never runs out
b) An unlimited supply of books
c) An unlimited supply of chocolate, coffee, or alcohol (your choice)
d) A gorgeous man/woman depending on your preference
I very nearly opted for b) an unlimited supply of books, but upon further consideration, I shall go with a) a pen and notepad that never runs out, so that I can both stay sane and supply said unlimited supply of books. I get sucked in whenever I read my own work and tend to forget I wrote it, so it would work out beautifully.
10. If you had the attention of the whole world for two minutes what would you say?
Ooooh, I like this question, and in the end my words could just as easily be said in a playground full of pre-schoolers:
“Please stop fighting and try to get along, it’s okay to be different and to like different things, and stop being so downright greedy and share with those less fortunate than you.”
Congratulations Aurelia, you have been awarded Ultra Brave Author status on the Braveometer!
>>Visit Aurelia online at her website: www.aureliabrowl.com or you can find her hanging out online, far too often, at the following:
Blog ¦ Facebook ¦ Twitter ¦ Google+ ¦ Pinterest ¦ BlogLovin ¦ Tumblr ¦ YouTube ¦ Linked-In ¦ Amazon ¦ Goodreads
>>Enter the bumper blog tour giveaway via rafflecopter below!
>>And check out Aurelia’s new release, POPPING THE CHERRY, which you can buy via these stores:
Carina ¦ Amazon UK ¦ Amazon ¦ iTunes ¦ Google ¦ Sainsburys ¦ Nook UK ¦ Kobo
>>UK Giveaway: 5 specially commissioned metal bookmarks, 1 Topshop gift card, paperback books – Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares, New Girl, Speechless, & The Eternity Cure.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
>>International Giveaway: 1 x $15 Amazon gift card, and ebook series packs including – Peachville High Demons x 6 books, The Dreamwalker series books 1 & 2, Dusty the Demon Hunter x 6 books, & The Sojourner series omnibus.
Brooke Moss answers my Awkward Questions, PLUS a giveaway!
In this segment, authors will be subjected to a list of awkward questions that may reveal more about themselves than they really wish to share, and they will receive a score on the ‘Braveometer’. If they choose to answer only five questions, they are a ‘Brave Author’, if they answer 6 to 9 questions they are a ‘Mega-Brave Author’, and if they answer all 10 questions they are an ‘Ultra-Brave Author’!
Please welcome Brooke Moss, author of fiction for adults and teens…laced with whimsy, humor, and heart…
1. Which of the following words most accurately describes your best personality trait (you must pick only one!):
Punctual. Good listener. Neat. Graceful. Generous. Cheerful.
Generous.
2. Which of the following words most accurately describes your worst most challenging personality trait (even if you’re perfect, you must pick one):
Always late. Blabbermouth. Slob. Complete klutz. Scrooge. Grumpy pants.
Grumpy pants.
3. Have you ever had a romantic crush on one of your characters? Who and why?
Gabe Parker, of Keeping Secrets in Seattle. Because he looks like Jesse Williams from Grey’s Anatomy. Um, hot.
4. Do you talk to yourself when writing or coming up with plot ideas?
Absolutely. All the time.
5. Who would be ideal to play YOU in a movie of your life?
Melissa McCarthy.
6. If you had the attention of the whole world for two minutes what would you say?
Stop watching the Kardashians. They’ll never go away if we don’t start ignoring them.
Thanks for taking part, Brooke! You have been awarded Mega-Brave Author status on the Braveometer!
>>GIVEAWAY! To win an ebook copy of Brooke’s latest romantic comedy release, Baby & Bump, please comment below and answer the following question: Where is the most awkward place to meet a man?
*Competition is open worldwide & will be drawn Wed 7th August and announced in the comments. The winner will also be notified via email. Good luck!
Visit Brooke at her website, facebook, and twitter.
BABY & BUMP:
Elise K. Ackers answers my Ten Awkward Questions
In this segment, authors will be subjected to a list of awkward questions that may reveal more about themselves than they really wish to share, and they will receive a score on the ‘Braveometer’. If they choose to answer only five questions, they are a ‘Brave Author’, if they answer 6 to 9 questions they are a ‘Mega-Brave Author’, and if they answer all 10 questions they are an ‘Ultra-Brave Author’!
Please welcome Elise K. Ackers! Elise is a finalist in this year’s RUBY award for the romantic elements category, with her Destiny Romance title, Small Town Storm. The winners will be announced at the RWA conference in Fremantle this August. Good luck, Elise!
1. If only one of your books could have been / could be published, which one would you choose? (C’mon, I don’t want to hear ‘Oh, I love them all, there’s no way I could choose.’ Time to be ruthless, these are the Ten Awkward Questions after all!)
My romantic suspense title, Small Town Storm. As hard as it is to choose one over others, it feels like this book has always been in me. It’s a big, complex plot full of characters I adore, issues I’ve wondered about for a long time, and a love I would want for myself. I wrote it over a few years – there were many iterations of it, and it was my debut title with Penguin’s Destiny Romance.
It was published as an ebook last year, and is available as a print book from certain Australia Post shops. I still feel a swell of pride and comfort each time I look at it, and I still think about the characters often – the way one might recall old friends.
2. Okay, now which one of your children/family members would you… nah, just kidding! Which of the following words most accurately describes your best personality trait (you must pick only one!):
Punctual. Good listener. Neat. Graceful. Generous. Cheerful.
I’m very generous with my heart, my time and my forgiveness. Probably too generous with forgiveness, but most days I’m zen about that.
3. Which of the following words most accurately describes your worst most challenging personality trait (even if you’re perfect, you must pick one):
Always late. Blabbermouth. Slob. Complete klutz. Scrooge. Grumpy pants.
Complete klutz. It’s inevitable considering the crazy things which happen around me. A window once fell out of its frame, on top of me, for example. And I bruise like a peach, so I keep finding new bruises almost every morning.
4. Have you ever had a romantic crush on one of your characters? Who and why?
Absolutely. All of the guys. If I don’t fall for them, how can I expect a reader to? They each have qualities I esteem in a partner, values I share or respect and they fight for what they want and who they love. None of them are perfect – they’re flawed, but that’s what makes them real to me, and hopefully real and wonderful to a reader.
5. When writing an important scene, do you act it out to allow you to better describe what’s happening?
I’ll sometimes mimic an expression I’m writing about, or gesticulate similarly to a character, just to check I’m getting it right. This probably makes for interesting viewing for those sitting around me on the morning commute.
6. Do you talk to yourself when writing or coming up with plot ideas?
No, but I do talk to other people. My parents and I often talk about my characters like they’re real people and we’ll brainstorm for hours. I’ll start to talk faster, my words will squash together and then I’ll completely space out, because I’ll start writing a scene in my mind.
7. Who would be ideal to play YOU in a movie of your life?
Emma Watson. Seriously, does anyone in the world have anything against that woman? She’s gorgeous, talented and full of substance. I would cheerfully be represented by her. Cheerfully, of course, being an enormous understatement.
8. If you could be any book character for one day, who would you be and why?
Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series (preferably not a day she’s fighting for her life), because I’d get to be a witch for a day and wander around Hogwarts! Magic!
9. You’re about to be left on a deserted island for a year, and while your basic food and water needs will be met, you can only bring one extra thing from the following. Which would you choose?
a) A pen and notepad that never runs out
b) An unlimited supply of books
c) An unlimited supply of chocolate, coffee, or alcohol (your choice)
d) A gorgeous man/woman depending on your preference
I’m going to pick D, despite the concerning lack of all-important supplies. I’d have to make sure the conversation kept me amused for as long as possible…
All I can think is that two would surely become three over the course of the year, which would complicate an already – there I go, adding drama to the story again!
10. If you had the attention of the whole world for two minutes what would you say?
Be kind to one another. I could expand, but that’s my core message.
Thanks for taking part, Elise, you have been awarded Ultra-Brave Author status on the Braveometer!
Visit Elise at her website, blog, facebook, and twitter.
>>Buy her new release, Ask Me for More, here.
When Olivia Law returns home for her best friend’s wedding, it stirs up a lot of unexpected memories – not all of them good ones. Liv has a history here she’d prefer to forget, and a life in the city she wants to get back to. She certainly doesn’t expect to find herself attracted to the bride’s elder brother, Cal O’Hara.
Cal remembers Liv as the trouble making friend of his little sister. He doesn’t expect to be faced with an incredibly sexy grown-up version. But Cal has been hurt in the past and is not prepared to risk his heart again. Certainly not for someone who is leaving town in a few days.
Nothing is certain in this delicious tale about escaping the past. Ask Me for More is a poignant story about finding love where you least expect it.
Ten Awkward Questions with Sarah Belle [Plus Giveaway!]
In this segment, authors will be subjected to a list of awkward questions that may reveal more about themselves than they really wish to share, and they will receive a score on the ‘Braveometer’. If they choose to answer only five questions, they are a ‘Brave Author’, if they answer 6 to 9 questions they are a ‘Mega-Brave Author’, and if they answer all 10 questions they are an ‘Ultra-Brave Author’!
Please welcome my fellow Escape Artist author, who also writes romantic comedy with a dash of magic, Sarah Belle!
1. If only one of your books could have been / could be published, which one would you choose? (C’mon, I don’t want to hear ‘Oh, I love them all, there’s no way I could choose.’ Time to be ruthless, these are the Ten Awkward Questions after all!)
HINDSIGHT is my first, so I’ll go with that!
2. Okay, now which one of your children/family members would you… nah, just kidding! Which of the following words most accurately describes your best personality trait (you must pick only one!):
Punctual. Good listener. Neat. Graceful. Generous. Cheerful.
Hmmmm…judging my bruises and scars, it’s not graceful! I’d like to say generous – I like to help out.
3. Which of the following words most accurately describes your worst most challenging personality trait (even if you’re perfect, you must pick one):
Always late. Blabbermouth. Slob. Complete klutz. Scrooge. Grumpy pants.
Oooh, these are hard, but refer to Q2 and I’ll have to go with a complete klutz. I can trip over thin air (or thick air).
4. Have you ever had a romantic crush on one of your characters? Who and why?
Not yet. In the next book there are some pretty gorgeous, sexy men, so I’ll save my crush for them!
5. When writing an important scene, do you act it out to allow you to better describe what’s happening?
It plays in my head like a movie, complete with varying camera shots and angles. My writing process is very cinematic.
6. Do you talk to yourself when writing or coming up with plot ideas?
Yes, and there are many arguments! I also write them down on a whiteboard, complete with arrows all over the place, pointing to alternate outcomes. My brain works better when it’s less cluttered.
7. Who would be ideal to play YOU in a movie of your life?
Oh my god! These are really hard, Juliet! Ooooh…ummmm…I’d go with Asher Keddie. She does confused and foot in mouth really well.
8. If you could be any book character for one day, who would you be and why?
I’d be Lisbeth Salander from the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (and others), because she’s incredibly intelligent, resourceful, kick ass and usually brings down the bad guy by herself as well as outsmarting every other character in the book. Oh, and she gets to shag Daniel Craig too.
9. You’re about to be left on a deserted island for a year, and while your basic food and water needs will be met, you can only bring one extra thing from the following. Which would you choose?
a) A pen and notepad that never runs out
b) An unlimited supply of books
c) An unlimited supply of chocolate, coffee, or alcohol (your choice)
d) A gorgeous man/woman depending on your preference
Wow, that’s really hard! I could go without c) and d), ( I can hear my husband crying in the background!), but a year without reading or writing? I think I would choose an unlimited supply of books because I can always write in my head, but I can’t go without reading other people’s words.
10. If you had the attention of the whole world for two minutes what would you say?
I’d tell the corporate fat cats and many governments not to be so greedy. It is greed and a desire to make money that has resulted in devastation of formerly pristine environments, the extinction of many beautiful animal species, the ruination of native cultures and the starvation of millions of people. Greedy people either exploit the natural resources and people of certain countries, because they are of monetary value (gold, oil, diamonds), or turn their backs on them because they lack monetary value (East Africa, Senegal). It’s just not right.
Thanks for taking part, Sarah, you have been awarded Ultra-Brave Author status on the Braveometer!
Visit Sarah online at her website, blog, facebook, and twitter.
>>WIN an ebook copy of her debut novel, HINDSIGHT, by commenting below and answering the following question: If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would it be? (Open Worldwide, winner announced Wed 17th July)
Or, don’t want to wait? Buy it now here!
HINDSIGHT blurb:
Humour, wit, and just a touch of humility: the swinging 60s as you’ve never seen them before.
The universe has sent Juliette a sign. She wishes it had been an email instead…
Juliette’s career is on fire, her marriage and family are in melt-down, and a red-hot goddess wants her husband. But those are the least of her worries when she wakes up on her lounge room floor in the year 1961.
Without any of her modern conveniences — nanny, housekeeper, surgically attached mobile phone, designer wardrobe, and intravenous lattes — Juliette is just over fifty years out of her comfort zone. But as she takes on the role of a 1961 housewife, with gritted liberated teeth, she discovers an unexpected truth: slower doesn’t mean boring, at home doesn’t mean dull, and priorities don’t mean sacrifices.
As she finds unexpected friendships, a resuscitated love life, tragedy and triumph, Juliette begins to wonder if she really wants to return home after all.
Ten Awkward Questions with Nicole Flockton (Plus GIVEAWAY!)
In this segment, authors will be subjected to a list of awkward questions that may reveal more about themselves than they really wish to share, and they will receive a score on the ‘Braveometer’. If they choose to answer only five questions, they are a ‘Brave Author’, if they answer 6 to 9 questions they are a ‘Mega-Brave Author’, and if they answer all 10 questions they are an ‘Ultra-Brave Author’!
Today, please welcome romance author, Nicole Flockton!
1. If only one of your books could have been / could be published, which one would you choose? (C’mon, I don’t want to hear ‘Oh, I love them all, there’s no way I could choose.’ Time to be ruthless, these are the Ten Awkward Questions after all!)
Bound by Her Ring it was my first and you ALWAYS remember your first 😉 LOL
2. Okay, now which one of your children/family members would you… nah, just kidding! Which of the following words most accurately describes your best personality trait (you must pick only one!):
Punctual. Good listener. Neat. Graceful. Generous. Cheerful.
Umm definitely not Neat if you look at my house and desk at present. But I’m always cheerful.
3. Which of the following words most accurately describes your worst most challenging personality trait (even if you’re perfect, you must pick one):
Always late. Blabbermouth. Slob. Complete klutz. Scrooge. Grumpy pants.
Oh that’s easy, in light of how I started off answering the above – I’m a slob and I own it. LOL
4. Have you ever had a romantic crush on one of your characters? Who and why?
I think when I’m writing the book I have a little crush on all of them. They’ve all got unique little quirks which I sigh over. Like Andrew, he’s a paramedic and he saves lives, you can’t help but swoon over a guy who does everything he can to help people.
5. When writing an important scene, do you act it out to allow you to better describe what’s happening?
Nope, can’t say I do 🙂
6. Do you talk to yourself when writing or coming up with plot ideas?
Sometimes, but I talk more to myself when I’m doing my paid work than writing. I usually can’t get a word in edgeways with the characters chatting amongst themselves.
7. Who would be ideal to play YOU in a movie of your life?
Someone beautiful LOL. But they’ll also have to be short, cause I’m short so maybe Emma Stone.
8. If you could be any book character for one day, who would you be and why?
Oh that’s tough because I like all my girls. So I can’t be all of them then I’ll be Dawn. The reason is she’s been through a lot but she’s learning to live again. So seeing joy in the simple things again would be nice. Rediscovering all the good things about the world.
9. You’re about to be left on a deserted island for a year, and while your basic food and water needs will be met, you can only bring one extra thing from the following. Which would you choose?
a) A pen and notepad that never runs out
b) An unlimited supply of books
c) An unlimited supply of chocolate, coffee, or alcohol (your choice)
d) A gorgeous man/woman depending on your preference
Wow that’s a tough one. I’d have to go for unlimited books. I think I’d be able to use charcoal from the fire to write down ideas on pieces of bark from the trees.
10. If you had the attention of the whole world for two minutes what would you say?
I would say, let go of the past and the pain. You can’t change the past but you can learn from it. Don’t make the same mistakes over. Learn and move on and live life to the fullest. Embrace the ones you love because in the blink of an eye it could be all taken away from you. Don’t regret what you do. Own it. Enjoy living.
Thanks for taking part, Nicole. You have been awarded Ultra-Brave author status on the braveometer!
Visit Nicole at her website, facebook, and twitter.
>>GIVEAWAY! To enter to win an ebook copy of RESCUING DAWN, comment below and answer the following question: What would you take on a deserted island?
Competition is open worldwide and winner will be drawn on Wed 3rd July. Good luck!
Book blurb for RESCUING DAWN:
He helps save lives, now he wants to save hers.
Dawn Granger has loved and lost and it’s a road she’s not prepared to travel again, that is until her past turns up and has her questioning her resolve.
Andrew Holmes has sailed the globe numerous times, when he almost loses his life, he decides he needs to give something back so he returns home and trains as a paramedic. When he runs into his former sweetheart he is surprised to find an attraction he thought dead come to life. When he sees the sadness in Dawn he knows he will do anything to make her smile again.
Dawn tries to resist Andrew but their past pulls at her in ways she thought long dead. Can she trust a man who’s run out on her once before? Can she risk putting her heart on the line again? Or will it all be taken from her again.
Read an Excerpt
Read Reviews
Buy Links: Crimson Romance Amazon
Ten Awkward Questions with Jenna Rutland
In this segment, authors will be subjected to a list of awkward questions that may reveal more about themselves than they really wish to share, and they will receive a score on the ‘Braveometer’. If they choose to answer only five questions, they are a ‘Brave Author’, if they answer 6 to 9 questions they are a ‘Mega-Brave Author’, and if they answer all 10 questions they are an ‘Ultra-Brave Author’!
Please welcome the author of JUST FOR THE SUMMER, Jenna Rutland!
1. If only one of your books could have been / could be published, which one would you choose? (C’mon, I don’t want to hear ‘Oh, I love them all, there’s no way I could choose.’ Time to be ruthless, these are the Ten Awkward Questions after all!)
Well, since I’ve only had one release so far, I’ve got to say, Just For the Summer!
2. Okay, now which one of your children/family members would you… nah, just kidding! Which of the following words most accurately describes your best personality trait (you must pick only one!):
Punctual. Good listener. Neat. Graceful. Generous. Cheerful.
Graceful – NOT! I’d have to go with Cheerful
3. Which of the following words most accurately describes your worst most challenging personality trait (even if you’re perfect, you must pick one):
Always late. Blabbermouth. Slob. Complete klutz. Scrooge. Grumpy pants.
Absolutely complete klutz. My son likes to say, “If you just sit and watch Mom long enough, she’s gonna do something klutzy.”
4. Have you ever had a romantic crush on one of your characters? Who and why?
No, I haven’t yet. Hmmm, something to think about.
5. When writing an important scene, do you act it out to allow you to better describe what’s happening?
Only if nobody is home.
6. Do you talk to yourself when writing or coming up with plot ideas?
All the time!
7. Who would be ideal to play YOU in a movie of your life?
Oh, geez, a young Lucille Ball. (Sorry you young kids probably don’t know who she is.)
8. If you could be any book character for one day, who would you be and why?
Stephanie Plum from Janet Evanovich’s books. Why? To have to smoking hot guys both in love with you? Need I say more?
9. You’re about to be left on a deserted island for a year, and while your basic food and water needs will be met, you can only bring one extra thing from the following. Which would you choose?
a) A pen and notepad that never runs out
b) An unlimited supply of books
c) An unlimited supply of chocolate, coffee, or alcohol (your choice)
d) A gorgeous man/woman depending on your preference
It’s a tossup between the alcohol and the gorgeous man. Since I can only choose one, I’d have to go with the guy.
10. If you had the attention of the whole world for two minutes what would you say?
Without trying to sound like a Miss America runner up, I’d go with the “Learn to love and live in peace.”
Thanks for taking part, Jenna, you have been awarded Ultra Brave Author Status on the Braveometer!
>>You can visit Jenna at her website, facebook, twitter, and Goodreads.
JULIET MADISON 