Writing Related:
Tell us about your book(s)!
I started out writing contemporary romance, and I still very much enjoy the contemporary genre. But in early 2012, I co-wrote A Lot Like a Lady – a Regency romance – with author Kim Bowman. And I really enjoyed the research, even though each question had me reading sometimes for days. I love books set in England anyway. My mum was English as was my dad’s mother. Mum came over just after WWII, but she had a large family in England, so much of my extended family are over there. Reading about British history I felt the connection. I ended up last year writing a Christmas Regency, The Toymaker, that was well-received, and I’m currently working on a followup to that, The Acrobat, which is the story of one of the popular secondary characters in that book. I’m facing a lot of challenges in this one, since that character has dwarfism and as much as people liked Eduard in The Toymaker and wrote begging me to tell his story, I’m not sure how receptive people will be to a hero who isn’t tall, dark, and dashing. I will say, that Eduard has a great deal of appeal and he’s definitely hero material.
Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book?
My most recent book is Something Like a Lady – the sequel to A Lot Like a Lady. I’m not really certain which actress should play the lead roles in these books, being a bit unfamiliar with British actors, though I do enjoy my time watching Downton Abby. When Kim and I wrote the Like a Lady books, we kind of did a twist on the Prince and the Pauper with other elements thrown in for good measure. I could see a younger version of Kate Winslet playing Juliet – the heroine in the first book. But Annabella, the heroine in the second book is a pretty spoiled and self-centered girl, prone to rage-filled temper tantrums. I’m just not sure who I see as her, though suggestions would be great.
Any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block?
I write to music. When I get blocked, it’s often a matter of just changing the song. When I first started writing Regency, I labored under the misapprehension that I would need to find music with a Regency feel – and lots of this is available. But I soon discovered that the scenes I was basically choreographing in words didn’t really need that. It’s the emotions of the music that counts. Sometimes if the words don’t seem to flow for one scene, I move to a different scene and then work to connect them with some sort of transition. If I’m ticked off at my dogs for barking at the mailman, writing a romantic scene isn’t likely to flow just right, so I head for something else, an argument between the main characters perhaps.
What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?
Of course I’d love to have 100% great reviews, but the bottom line is, not everyone is going to love everything about every story I write. If someone states a particular book simply was not their cup of tea, I accept it and move on. For those thoughtful reviewers who explain what worked and what didn’t (on good or bad reviews), I’m actually grateful, because I see this as a way to improve my writing. I still cannot please everyone but sometimes having something pointed out as good or bad gives me perspective.
Tell us about your book(s)!
I started out writing contemporary romance, and I still very much enjoy the contemporary genre. But in early 2012, I co-wrote A Lot Like a Lady – a Regency romance – with author Kim Bowman. And I really enjoyed the research, even though each question had me reading sometimes for days. I love books set in England anyway. My mum was English as was my dad’s mother. Mum came over just after WWII, but she had a large family in England, so much of my extended family are over there. Reading about British history I felt the connection. I ended up last year writing a Christmas Regency, The Toymaker, that was well-received, and I’m currently working on a followup to that, The Acrobat, which is the story of one of the popular secondary characters in that book. I’m facing a lot of challenges in this one, since that character has dwarfism and as much as people liked Eduard in The Toymaker and wrote begging me to tell his story, I’m not sure how receptive people will be to a hero who isn’t tall, dark, and dashing. I will say, that Eduard has a great deal of appeal and he’s definitely hero material.
Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book?
My most recent book is Something Like a Lady – the sequel to A Lot Like a Lady. I’m not really certain which actress should play the lead roles in these books, being a bit unfamiliar with British actors, though I do enjoy my time watching Downton Abby. When Kim and I wrote the Like a Lady books, we kind of did a twist on the Prince and the Pauper with other elements thrown in for good measure. I could see a younger version of Kate Winslet playing Juliet – the heroine in the first book. But Annabella, the heroine in the second book is a pretty spoiled and self-centered girl, prone to rage-filled temper tantrums. I’m just not sure who I see as her, though suggestions would be great.
Any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block?
I write to music. When I get blocked, it’s often a matter of just changing the song. When I first started writing Regency, I labored under the misapprehension that I would need to find music with a Regency feel – and lots of this is available. But I soon discovered that the scenes I was basically choreographing in words didn’t really need that. It’s the emotions of the music that counts. Sometimes if the words don’t seem to flow for one scene, I move to a different scene and then work to connect them with some sort of transition. If I’m ticked off at my dogs for barking at the mailman, writing a romantic scene isn’t likely to flow just right, so I head for something else, an argument between the main characters perhaps.
What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?
Of course I’d love to have 100% great reviews, but the bottom line is, not everyone is going to love everything about every story I write. If someone states a particular book simply was not their cup of tea, I accept it and move on. For those thoughtful reviewers who explain what worked and what didn’t (on good or bad reviews), I’m actually grateful, because I see this as a way to improve my writing. I still cannot please everyone but sometimes having something pointed out as good or bad gives me perspective.
How do you relax?
Lots of different ways. Reading, photography, movies and TV shows, gardening, and walking in the mountains with my rescue dogs.
What is your favorite motivational phrase?
Conceive it, believe it, achieve it.
What is your favorite book?
Hmmm… I feel so limited by having to choose just one. The whole Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon kept me reading. I really loved most of Nora Roberts’ books, particularly her earlier trilogies.
Who is your favorite author?
I have a lot of favorite authors. For historical, I love the intense research and attention to detail Diana Gabaldon puts into her work. For contemporary, Jill Shalvis is a favorite, as are Tori Carrington and Nora Roberts. Pretty much any author with a talent for nailing characterization through action and dialogue will draw me in.
What is your favorite movie?
I’m kind of a movie addict, so making me choose just one probably would generate a different answer on different days. So I’ll just say that I enjoy good action dramas and I love romantic comedies.
Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?
I think I might like to meet Queen Elizabeth. Of course, I’d never get to ask much in the way of in-depth questions, but I’d like to just sit and listen to her reminisce.
What is the most interesting trip you have ever taken?
I’m really more of a stay-at-home person. I’ve been very fortunate in that every place I’ve lived has had places nearby that have interested me. I was born and raised in Michigan and lived there until 1999, when I took a job in Annapolis, Maryland. Michigan has some truly beautiful places, particularly in the north, so we vacationed there a lot. I’m a camper by preference, so camping by Lake Huron was a favorite getaway.
What was your most embarrassing moment?
There’ve been so many potentially embarrassing moments. I try to just forget them and move on – there’s no end to the ways in which I can embarrass myself, from making a Dairy Queen run in my PJ bottoms to answering someone in the grocery store and finding out they’re actually on the phone and not talking to me.
Lighting Round:
White wine or red? I actually do not drink so this would be neither, though I do like the color of some of the reds…
Coffee or tea? Definitely tea. Iced or hot and sweet, sweet, sweet!
Cook dinner or order take-out/delivery? I think I’d rather cook – nothing better than a pot of beef soup bubbling on the stove and bread baking in the oven.
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream? Make mine vanilla with HUGE chocolate chunks.
Pancakes or eggs? Eggs, scrambled, with cheddar cheese and served with buttered toast.
Sleep in or get up early? If I had my way, sleep in, since I work into the wee hours at night. But… I share the house with rescue dogs and their internal alarms simply cannot handle sleeping past 7 a.m. these days.
Laptop or desktop for writing? I have both but currently it’s just easy to use the desktop. When the weather’s nice, though, nothing beats sitting in the back yard listening to the birds and the buzz of insects while I write.
Kay is giving away one pair of her A Lot Like A Lady & Something Like a Lady books to one Lucky reader. All you have to do to enter is answer the question, " What actress do you think might play Annabelle"? From Like a Lady Series, Blonde, Spoiled, & Prone to temper tantrums. Make sure to leave us your email in the comment section! Good Luck!!
Lots of different ways. Reading, photography, movies and TV shows, gardening, and walking in the mountains with my rescue dogs.
What is your favorite motivational phrase?
Conceive it, believe it, achieve it.
What is your favorite book?
Hmmm… I feel so limited by having to choose just one. The whole Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon kept me reading. I really loved most of Nora Roberts’ books, particularly her earlier trilogies.
Who is your favorite author?
I have a lot of favorite authors. For historical, I love the intense research and attention to detail Diana Gabaldon puts into her work. For contemporary, Jill Shalvis is a favorite, as are Tori Carrington and Nora Roberts. Pretty much any author with a talent for nailing characterization through action and dialogue will draw me in.
What is your favorite movie?
I’m kind of a movie addict, so making me choose just one probably would generate a different answer on different days. So I’ll just say that I enjoy good action dramas and I love romantic comedies.
Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?
I think I might like to meet Queen Elizabeth. Of course, I’d never get to ask much in the way of in-depth questions, but I’d like to just sit and listen to her reminisce.
What is the most interesting trip you have ever taken?
I’m really more of a stay-at-home person. I’ve been very fortunate in that every place I’ve lived has had places nearby that have interested me. I was born and raised in Michigan and lived there until 1999, when I took a job in Annapolis, Maryland. Michigan has some truly beautiful places, particularly in the north, so we vacationed there a lot. I’m a camper by preference, so camping by Lake Huron was a favorite getaway.
What was your most embarrassing moment?
There’ve been so many potentially embarrassing moments. I try to just forget them and move on – there’s no end to the ways in which I can embarrass myself, from making a Dairy Queen run in my PJ bottoms to answering someone in the grocery store and finding out they’re actually on the phone and not talking to me.
Lighting Round:
White wine or red? I actually do not drink so this would be neither, though I do like the color of some of the reds…
Coffee or tea? Definitely tea. Iced or hot and sweet, sweet, sweet!
Cook dinner or order take-out/delivery? I think I’d rather cook – nothing better than a pot of beef soup bubbling on the stove and bread baking in the oven.
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream? Make mine vanilla with HUGE chocolate chunks.
Pancakes or eggs? Eggs, scrambled, with cheddar cheese and served with buttered toast.
Sleep in or get up early? If I had my way, sleep in, since I work into the wee hours at night. But… I share the house with rescue dogs and their internal alarms simply cannot handle sleeping past 7 a.m. these days.
Laptop or desktop for writing? I have both but currently it’s just easy to use the desktop. When the weather’s nice, though, nothing beats sitting in the back yard listening to the birds and the buzz of insects while I write.
Kay is giving away one pair of her A Lot Like A Lady & Something Like a Lady books to one Lucky reader. All you have to do to enter is answer the question, " What actress do you think might play Annabelle"? From Like a Lady Series, Blonde, Spoiled, & Prone to temper tantrums. Make sure to leave us your email in the comment section! Good Luck!!
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