Q & A with the authors from Small Town, Large Hearts

What can you tell us about the small town setting of your upcoming romance?

Samantha Chase (author of RETURN TO YOU): The south shore of Long Island had always been my heroine Selena’s home. Born and raised minutes from the beach, she always dreamed that it would be where she’d find love, raise a family and live happily ever after. The small coastal town really hadn’t been part of James Montgomery’s plan for his own life, after meeting Selena, it’s suddenly a very appealing part of his future.

Grace Burrowes (author of KISS ME HELLO): Damson Valley lies in rural Maryland, about an hour away from both Washington, DC, and Baltimore. The Appalachian Mountains give the town a protected, bucolic feel, despite the proximity of big city lights. My hero attorney MacKenzie Knightley loved growing up with his brothers on a farm right outside Damson Valley, and was all too happy to go into practice with both James and Trent. The Knightley farm is now owned by foster mom Sidonie Lindstrom, who has moved away from Baltimore to give her foster son a better start in life. Sid has no patience for small town life, though before too long, the scenery does catch her interest…

Andrea Laurence (author of FEEDING THE FIRE): If you’re willing to turn your car off the highway and venture from the beaten path, you might be lucky enough to run across a town like Rosewood, Alabama. Steeped in southern charm and the traditional values of God, Family and Football (although not always in that order), Rosewood is like a time capsule preserving everything modern cities have lost. Here, you’ll find homemade pies, perfectly brewed sweet tea, and beauty parlors filled with lively gossip. It’s the kind of town where everybody knows everybody – and everybody knows your business whether you like it or not! Thanks for stopping by. Sit a spell and tell us what you know.

Word can really get around in a small town. Do noisy neighbors and gossip cause any problems in your couple’s romance?

Grace Burrowes: Mac and Sid’s first shared meal is in a local pizza joint, and before he even sits down, Mac realizes he’s making a mistake. His old choir director is two tables over, his nemesis from high school wrestling tournaments is grinning at him from the bar, and the woman he took to the senior prom—many years and several dress sizes ago—is smirking at him from across the room.

No way will MacKenzie Knightley’s little brothers won’t learn of his outing with Sid. Oops!

What is the most romantic spot in town?

Samantha Chase: At the time of their meeting, Selena is a senior in high school and James – who is two years older – is working for a landscaping company.  For them, the most romantic spot in town is the beach.  They’re not far from the larger beaches – like Jones Beach or Smith’s Point – but it’s the smaller beaches that they love to frequent.

When they meet up again ten years later, the town is still the same but their time together there is very short and I believe Selena would have loved to revisit the shore and walk in the sand with James, but they never get the opportunity to. 

When your heroine and her friends go on a ‘girls night out’, where do they go?

Andrea Laurence: There’s really only one hot spot in Rosewood, so the ladies dress up and head to Woody’s Bar too. The only thing that will tear the guys’ attention away from football is a tight pair of jeans, so there’s always love connections happening at Woody’s. If they’re looking for something more sophisticated, the ladies will hop in the car and head to Birmingham in search of shopping, sushi and champagne.

About the Authors and Books

Samantha Chase

New York Times and USA Today Bestseller Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan's Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40's to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well. 

When she's not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.

RETURN TO YOU releases March 3, 2015. You can preorder the title here

Grace Burrowes

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes' bestsellers include The Heir, The Soldier, Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal, Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish and Lady Eve's Indiscretion. The Heir was aPublishers Weekly Best Book of 2010, The Soldier was a PW Best Spring Romance of 2011, Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish won Best Historical Romance of the Year in 2011 from RT Reviewers' Choice Awards, Lady Louisa's Christmas Knight was a Library Journal Best Book of 2012, and The Bridegroom Wore Plaid was a PWBest Book of 2012. Her Regency romances have received extensive praise, including starred reviews fromPublishers Weekly and Booklist. Grace is branching out into short stories and Scotland-set Victorian romance with Sourcebooks. She is a practicing family law attorney and lives in rural Maryland.

KISS ME HELLO releases March 3, 2015. You can preorder the title here

Andrea Laurence

Andrea Laurence has been a lover of reading and writing stories since she learned to read at a young age. She always dreamed of seeing her work in print and is thrilled to finally be able to share her special blend of sensuality and dry, sarcastic humor with the world. A dedicated West Coast girl transplanted into the Deep South, she's working on her own "happily ever after" with her boyfriend and their collection of animals including a Siberian Husky that sheds like nobody's business.

FEEDING THE FIRE releases March 16, 2015. You can preorder the title here

Q&A with Abby Green author of DELUCCA’S MARRIAGE CONTRACT

How have your years working in the film and TV industry helped to shape your writing?

I think they’ve helped because I’m used to working in an unconventional environment and largely for myself. Even though working on a film is with a lot more people, you’re still freelance. It’s also helped because I’m used to breaking down scripts into their various components, which comes in very handy for knowing how important the continuity of a story is.

I’m also used to working under pressure which helps coming up to deadlines!

What inspired you to make to the move to being a romance writer?

I’d wanted to get out of being an Assistant Director for a while, and at first I wanted to write a screenplay but then I thought about it and realized that perhaps writing fiction might be more practical in the long run. (The percentage of scripts that actually make it to the screen is tiny!). I had lived with a friend who had first talked about submitting a manuscript to Mills and Boon and that’s where the germ of the idea started, so it’s all thanks to her.

If you could make any literary hunk in history come to life, who would it be and why?

At the moment, it would have to be Jamie Fraser from Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander books because he’s just the most perfect hero. He starts out as this incredibly sweet and honourable guy, virginal to boot, yet very instinctively Alpha. He grows into this very complex and charismatic man who has the most amazing love of a lifetime with the heroine, Claire. He develops through the books into an incredibly rich and complex character. Brilliant, and very sexy. 

About Delucca's Marriage Contract

Giancarlo Delucca has one aim—to go global. Even if it means marrying the O'Connor heiress to secure the contract.

Keelin O'Connor wants a place on the board—and no part in thiws business "arrangement"! Gianni may have vowed to seduce his wayward bride, but Keelin is fighting him every step down the aisle.

Happily-ever-after was never part of the bargain, but Gianni finds himself intrigued by Keelin's feisty defiance. And suddenly he's determined to turn the beautiful Irish redhead's "I don't" into an "I do"!

Welcome to The Chatsfield, Rome!

Q&A with author Chelsea Fine

What author or book would you say has had the greatest impact on your career as a writer?

Oooh, that’s tricky. It’s hard to choose just one book or author, since so many have influenced me in significant ways, but there are certainly a few that stand out. The Harry Potter series is the reason I got really into reading as a young adult. Nicholas Sparks is the reason I fell in love with literary romance. And Twilight is the reason I started writing as a hobby (and then later turned that hobby into this amazing career). There are many, many more, but those are the most significant. Probably. 

All your books are awesome by the way. You write the kind of characters that make you want to fall in love with their story.  Who or what inspires them to paper?

Aw…thank you. Honestly, I usually base my characters (loosely) on my friends on real life. I have some seriously amazing friends who are witty, funny, fierce, and passionate—and I love using their personalities as a basic outline for my on-page characters. Except for villains. I don’t really have many villainous friends in real life so I usually create my bad guys from scratch. Haha. 

If you could give advice to any upcoming writer, what would it be?

Be FEARLESS! Fear is your worst enemy in this business. It will knock you down, paralyze you, and steal your passion and self-confidence—but only if you let it. There are plenty of things to be afraid of, in any profession, but writing is especially personal and, therefore, particularly terrifying. We writers pour our hearts into our books and then we let others read and criticize them. It’s a crazy exchange and it takes tremendous courage, but I promise it is absolutely worth the frayed nerves.

If you could collaborate with any author past or present, who would it be and why?

Ooh, this is a tricky question, too! Haha. I’d probably have to say Stephenie Meyer. She returned an email of mine just after I’d published my first YA fantasy book and it was so encouraging! She probably doesn’t realize how much her words meant to me, but really, they inspired me to keep writing, to keep trying, and to not give up. So I’d be beyond honored to write alongside her. That would be ah-mazing. 

Are you working on anything that you can share? 

Yes! Always. Haha. Right now, I’m mostly focusing on finishing the sequel to Sophie & Carter. I’ve been promising my readers this this sequel for years and I’m just now getting around to it. I’m lame. Haha. I’m also working on an MG fantasy series, which is super fun! It’s very colorful and wild. And I may or may not be finishing up a small horror novella. Although, honestly, it’s more of a twisted romance than anything else. Haha. I’m working on other stories as well: a YA fantasy series, a few NA contemporary stories about my Finding Fate characters Ellen and Zack, and a historical fantasy set in early America. Phew! That probably sounds like a lot, but I love it SO MUCH! I have the best job ever. 

---

Chelsea lives in Phoenix, Arizona, where she spends most of her time writing stories, painting murals, and avoiding housework at all costs. She's ridiculously bad at doing dishes and claims to be allergic to laundry. Her obsessions include: superheroes, coffee, sleeping-in, and crazy socks. She lives with her husband and two children, who graciously tolerate her inability to resist teenage drama on TV and her complete lack of skill in the kitchen. 

You can reach Chelsea via: Website | Twitter |Facebook | Goodreads

Q&A with author Bina Shah

What inspired you to write A Season for Martyrs?

I was inspired by the tragic event of Benazir Bhutto's assassination in 2007. It was one of the most devastating events I've ever witnessed. When she was killed, it was like a flame of hope was extinguished in all of us. I had to do something. I also wanted to capture the rich history of Sindh by writing down some of the family history my father had told me. 

Where were you during the historical events that serve as a backdrop to your novel?

I was in Karachi when all of the real events depicted in the book occurred. I had friends involved in the People's Resistance Movement. My family wasn't personal friends with the Bhuttos but we had many family connections and mutual friends. The last three months of the year 2007 were intense, exciting, frightening... I wanted to capture what it felt like to be there.

Your book also depicts the difficulties faced by your hero, a Muslim man, and the young Hindu woman he loves. Is that cross-religion relationship a real problem in Pakistan? 

It is very hard for young people to conduct romantic relationships in Pakistan. Many of them are across lines of difference - different sects, different ethnicities. We have had some controversy about Hindu women marrying Muslim men (more in the rural areas). Some of these are actually forced conversion and kidnapping cases, whereas others are women who want to marry of their own accord and their families file kidnapping charges in order to get them back. It's a complicated scene. 

Are there any upcoming projects you'd want to talk about?

I'm writing a great big feminist dystopian novel very much inspired by Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. It takes place in the Middle East, however, in a time and place where women have nearly become extinct due to selective sex abortion, gender selection, and war and disease. I envision a society controlled by technology and women who have to be assigned to more than one husband: and then a secret collective of women who rebel and try to live life on their own terms. 

What was the first book you remember reading on your own as a child?

Perhaps the first book I read for myself that really made an impact on me would have been the Little House on the Prairie series. We had it in our school library in Pakistan (I went to an American school) and I really loved it. The television series was aired in Pakistan a little later and I used to watch it religiously.

What is on your reading list? 

I'm reading some commercial fiction: Summer House with Swimming Pool by Hermann Koch. I'm also reading Naomi Wolf's Vagina: A New Biography which I'm finding devastatingly brilliant. But reading it around the house is raising some eyebrows.

New Children’s Book Explores Life from the Lens of an Autistic Child’s Sibling By Shaila Abdullah

Zain, his younger sister Sofia, and parents Arif and Dr. Salima Ali are the inspiration behind my newest children’s book titled A Manual for Marco.

At the age of two, Zain was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a developmental disability that affects 1 in every 68 children. Zain is very bright with remarkable memory and exceptional math skills. He taught himself to read at the age of three.

Living with an autistic sibling can be interesting and challenging at times, according to Sofia, who is smart and caring and helps her parents in taking care of her brother.

There is no easy access to Zain’s mind. But the now 13-year old and his family, who live in Texas, are an example of all that is possible with unconditional love and patience.

Here are a few words of wisdom from Dr. Salima Ali:

Despite the challenges we faced in raising a special needs child, we never regarded autism as a life sentence. Instead, we consider our experience as an opportunity for us to grow stronger together. It was a tough journey for us, especially for young Sofia, who did not understand the nature of Zain’s condition at first. She went through many stages of confusion, fear, anger, and embarrassment. As is commonly seen in siblings of special children, Sofia in time became a compassionate and caring sibling. As parents we always made sure to acknowledge her feelings. Here are some of the questions raised by Sofia and the solutions we came up with

“It’s not fair!”

Solution: Create a special one-on-one time for the sibling where he or she has exclusive access to one or both parents.

“Why won’t he play with me?”

Solution: Find common ground. Say “Your brother or sister likes it when you spin with him or play board games.”

 “I’m scared!”

Solution: Find a safe haven or a corner in the home where the sibling
feels safe.

“I feel like the parent.”

Solution: Allow time for sibling to be a child. Play hide and seek and silly games with him or her. Make time for playdates with friends his or her own age.

“He’s so embarrassing!”

Solution: Encourage honesty—and laugh about it together! Like we do after reading A Manual for Marco.

 Join the conversation on Twitter

Shaila Abdullah is an award-winning author and designer based in Austin, Texas. She has written five books: Saffron Dreams, Beyond the Cayenne Wall, My Friend Suhana, Rani in Search of a Rainbow, and A Manual for Marco. The author has received several awards for her work including the Golden Quill Award and Patras Bukhari Award for English Language. Several academic institutions have adopted her books as course study or recommended reading, including the University of California, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Indiana University, Boston University, California State University, and George Washington University.  Learn more about the author at www.ShailaAbdullah.com

You can connect with Shaila via: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog

About A Manuel For Marco

Pages from the diary of an eight-year old girl who decides to make a list of all the things she likes and dislikes about dealing with her autistic brother, and in doing so realizes that she has created A Manual for Marco.

Q &A with T. Dasu author of SPY, INTERRUPTED: THE WAITING WIFE

What inspired you to write SPY, INTERRUPTED: THE WAITING WIFE?

I grew up reading literary espionage novels but there was something lacking. I wondered about the emotional lives and relationships of those involved in the espionage business. What does it take for them to earn their partner’s trust in their relationships? Is it possible for such a person to be normal? What’s it like to be married to someone whose job it is to lie and deceive on a daily basis? Is their spouse always second-guessing their actions and motives

After a major tragedy in the novel, Stephen asks Nina to sing. Nina sings a song in Urdu. Are you familiar with music in other languages? 

I come from a very musical family filled with composers, poets, singers, musicians. Both my parents sang and listened to Indian classical music constantly, where the compositions were often in Sanskrit. I am fluent in Telugu and Hindi and music in those languages, I can understand some Urdu, and, thanks to my husband, I know many popular Tamil songs. I have no musical talent unfortunately.

Stephen, the protagonist, reveals his perspective on the ethics of torture in times of war. How did you negotiate this topic as you were writing the novel?

That’s a tough one. Personally, I believe that people will confess to anything under duress, and there is no proof that torture provides useful information. Having said that, I can see how those that have seen battle, and experienced first hand the brutality and senselessness of the enemy, could resort to extreme measures in the hope that it could lead to any information that could prevent future tragedies.

What challenges did you face as you were writing SPY, INTERRUPTED: THE WAITING WIFE?

In the beginning, it came in a rush, like a video playing in my head and all I had to do was put it down in words. However, the actual craft of polishing it took several years and as many as 40 re-writes. The manuscript went from 120,000 words to 72,000! But I enjoyed every minute of it. I learn so much with each word I write. I hope readers will stay with me!

About T. Dasu

T. Dasu’s impressionable years were spent on multiple continents, and it is these richly varied experiences that serve as inspiration for Dasu’s writing. In addition to being a published author of both fiction and nonfiction works, Dasu also translates regional Indian fiction into English. Dasu enjoys classic stories of love and longing like Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Love in the Time of Cholera, and literary espionage exemplified by Graham Greene’s Our Man in Havana.

About the Book

Jane Austen meets John le Carre in the riveting international romantic thriller Spy, Interrupted: The Waiting Wife, which follows a newlywed couple on an emotionally wrought journey rife with love, intrigue, and suspense.

When Nina Sharma falls in love with and marries the reclusive, New England aristocrat Stephen Edward James, she expects life will change. But she could not anticipate how. After six months of seemingly serene wedded bliss, a trip to India begins to unravel the secrets of Stephen’s hidden life—and the truth will have the pair evading terrorists and narrowly escaping with their lives. As Nina grapples with the truth about the stranger she married, Stephen must do everything in his power to keep his wife alive and bring down the men he’s hunting—and who are hunting him.

Then, the photographs start arriving…photos from a mysterious sender. Photos of Stephen and Nina in increasingly intimate moments.

Can Nina and Stephen’s fledgling love survive? Can they survive?

Filled with intriguing characters and plot twists that span multiple continents, Spy, Interrupted: The Waiting Wife is a unique and thrilling, cross-cultural novel about the strength and endurance of love.