Best-selling Author of Contemporary Romance and Women’s Fiction

Welcome to another day of “Author Week”. I know you’ll enjoy learning more about Allie.

Hi, Allie! I’m glad you’re here!

Have you always wanted to be a writer and when did you start writing?

I can definitely say, yes, I always wanted to be a writer. In grade school, I would make up stories all the time (sometimes when I should have been doing my math or science work instead!). And I’ve always loved to read. I majored in English in college and graduate school and ended up being an English teacher (which I love!) But I was never sure I could sit down and write a whole novel until sometime around 2001. Suddenly, I found myself jotting down story ideas and fragments of scenes, sometimes in the wee hours of the morning. Finally I gave in and joined a writers’ group. Since then, I’ve been fortunate enough to find many good friends and supporters, and they’ve helped me shape my craft and learn about the world of publishing and marketing. I wrote 4 novels between 2001 and 2006. I sold my first in January of 2007 and my second in April of 2007. Now I’m hooked!

How do you describe Allie Boniface? How does Allie Boniface’s husband describe her?

Wow, great question! I guess I’d describe her as motivated and organized (yes, I’m a fanatical list-maker!). She’s a chocolate lover, an animal lover, a romantic (of course!), and a musician who is lucky enough to have a baby grand piano in her living room that she plays all the time. Most of all, she’s the kind of girl who makes the most of every day, ‘cause life’s too short to do otherwise.

My husband, when asked this question, said several flattering things about who Allie is…none of which can be repeated here, though, since they’re rather…ahem…R-rated. So I let him off the hook, especially since today’s his birthday. Hey, romance begins at home, right?

How old were you when you had your first romantic kiss? Was it with your little kindergarten classmate, or the first major crush of your young life?

This may surprise readers – I was old!

I was 16 and had just started dating a New Boyfriend who was 18. We went to a party at a friend’s house, and his ex-girlfriend was there and threw a jealous fit. He asked his Good Friend to drive me home and stayed to calm down his ex. Little did New Boyfriend know that I had had a major crush on Good Friend for the last 2 years… Good Friend drove me home, took a detour, and let’s just say that by the end of the week, I wasn’t dating New Boyfriend anymore. I suppose even back then, I liked a little drama in my romance!

Sweet 16 isn’t old! I love how you went to the party with one boyfriend and ended up getting a new boyfriend - one you had a crush on anyhow! How do you celebrate after finishing a book or meeting a deadline?

Actually, I don’t do a whole lot of celebrating When I finish a book, I tend to take a few days off from writing altogether and then tackle my next project. To be honest, writing is just plain fun, so I feel as though I celebrate a little bit every time I sit down at my computer.

If you could bring one character to life who would it be and why?

Oh, the hero of Lost in Paradise, Eddie West. Eddie’s a mechanic who loves the ladies but is also nursing a broken soul. He likes to come across as a playboy, but in truth he’s intuitive and sensitive. Eddie is actually roughly based on a good friend of mine, but of course I spiced him up a little in the book! From the first days of drafting this novel, my early readers always loved Eddie. What’s not to love? He’s hot, good with his hands, and has a tender side. I think every woman could use an Eddie West in her life – to keep her car running and keep her bed warm!

I definitely want to read more about Eddie. He sounds like my kind of character. Readers, be forewarned that once you start reading LOST IN PARADISE, I bet you won’t want to stop reading. After I read the excerpt, I’m anxious to buy it.

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

Thanks for featuring small press authors this week, Diane! I feel very fortunate that I have had the experience of working with both Samhain Publishing and The Wild Rose Press. Both these presses make their authors’ success a priority.

Allie, thanks for a terrific interview. I learned more neat things about you! Readers, please visit her website and blog. When you leave comments for Allie, you’ll be entered into my drawing. I’ll announce the winner here on March 30th!

Buy here!

BLURB:

Ashton Kirk, youngest daughter of a prestigious senator, fiancée of a hotshot attorney, and fresh Harvard graduate, is headed for a promising law career when scandal breaks apart her family. Suddenly, she finds herself newly single and ashamed of her name. To escape, she rents an apartment in the sleepy town of Paradise, New Hampshire, where no one knows who she is.

Ashton hopes for solitude, but all bets are off when Eddie West, the town’s most eligible bachelor, moves in downstairs. The brawny auto mechanic loves his women and his cars shiny, sleek, and fast, and when he meets his new housemate, he wastes no time getting friendly. While Eddie is looking for a no-strings romance, though, he gets more than he bargained for in Ash, who sees through his bravado to the pain of a loss too fresh to mention.

Can two people from different worlds find common ground, a place to fall in love and build a future together? Or will Ashton’s past and Eddie’s scars keep them apart just as the summer heat brings them together? Is it possible to find your soul mate in the place you least expect to?

5 Angels!
“Lost in Paradise” by Allie Boniface is an emotional love story that draws the reader in and keeps the pages turning as the couple overcomes obstacles on their journey to true love…[it] was a delight to read. I can recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a love story that brings an unlikely couple together - a couple that overcomes all odds to find the love they both deserve.” - Devon, Fallen Angel Reviews

Lula Thomas aka Miss Mae

Isn’t this fun learning about authors published by small presses? I hope everyone is enjoying the week so far and you’re in for a treat today because Lula Thomas is here.

Hi, Lula, and welcome.

Have you always wanted to be a writer and when did you start writing?

In elementary school, I read every Nancy Drew, and Trixie Belden mystery I could get my hand on. Those fabulous adventures created a desire within me to create stories just like that. Of course it didn’t happen, but that’s when the bug bit. So do I say I started writing at ten years old? Well, not seriously, though I attempted my juvenile hand at it…LOL..

What is your perfect writing environment?

Do you need quiet or can you work with background noise? Yes, I do need and desire a quiet environment. However, with my husband now home full-time, that doesn’t happen. He’s constantly barging in, or if not him, then the telephone, or the barking dogs…LOL..But no, music will distract me. I crave that quiet place to myself, but have to work around not having it.

How does your husband and family feel about your writing?

My husband is very supportive, and encouraging. He actually read my published book, which shocked me because he hates fiction. My daughter also bought it and read it, and was good enough to go to my buy page and give me a five star review!…LOL..So both have been wonderful.

If you could bring one character to life who would it be and why?

Hmm, probably the murdered man, Carlyle Davenport, in “See No Evil, My Pretty Lady”. I’d bring him to life to learn more about him. The reader is only given glimpses of his personality. So, if he came to life, I’d like to find out why he wanted to be such a scoundrel.

Lula, since you’re a published author, do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

It’s extremely disheartening and frustrating to receive countless rejections. But my advice is, if you enjoy writing and enjoy the stories you’ve created, then have faith in yourself. Keep submitting. One day someone will answer your knock.

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

I’ve made an incredible amount of internet friends by becoming a published author. That is an added reward, and one I wouldn’t trade for anything!

Thanks, Lula, for a great interview. Readers, please visit Miss Mae’s site or her blog. Want to leave a comment for Lula? Remember each time you do, you’re entered into my drawing for a gift certificate!

Read the blurb below for See No Evil, My Pretty Lady! BTW, this title has held the number one spot at TWRP for their non-American historical bestseller line since its release!

Buy here for only $3.00!

Reviewer Verbena from The Long And Short Of It says, “Loved it! This story is a must read. There is action from the first sentence to the very end.” Click here to read the whole review. from The Long And Short Of It.

“See No Evil, My Pretty Lady” blurb:

What if you lived in Victorian London, the time of Jack the Ripper? What if you were one of the women he attacked, yet you managed to escape? And what if he knew he needed to find you and silence you before you identified him?

New maid Darcy Edwards spurns her wealthy employer’s attempts to seduce her. When he becomes a victim of the person the newspapers call “Jack the Ripper,” estranged son Gareth Davenport returns to London to handle his father’s affairs. Dorcy puzzles over what the brooding, handsome heir might be hiding behind his eye patch and black leather gloves. As circumstances unfold to expose the killer’s identity, Dorcy’s plunged into a nightmare, convinced Gareth is none other than the infamous murderer. But is Dorcy’s life what Gareth seeks? Or nothing more easily broken than her heart?

Marianne is the author of sweet, sassy romance!

Hi, Marianne, and welcome. I’m glad you’re here today! I hope the weather in New Hampshire is warmer today. It’s chilly here this morning but our weather forecast is for 55 degrees this afternoon.

Tell us a little about yourself and what makes you tick?

I’m a bit of a control freak. I’m also totally into routine and don’t much care for surprises. I plan my days, and am not terrifically spontaneous. In a way, that can be really good for folks I hang out with—you know where I am, when I’m there and you know you can count on me to do what I say I’ll do (barring a disaster).

I’m a wife of almost twelve years, a mom of an almost 9 y.o. daughter who I homeschool, I write, I dream, I wish…

I love to be alone, though I seldom get to be. I wonder if that’s a writers trait? I enjoy gardening (even weeding!) and wish I lived somewhere with a longer growing season. I am a mostly vegetarian with a coffee and chocolate addiction. And, I think that pizza and PB&J sandwiches are my favorite foods.

Name the one item in your closet that is a constant favorite…the one that always gets worn even though you might have something newer or better?

Jeans, for certain. And, in the winter I have a “Monterey” sweatshirt that I love. In the summer, I have a particular t-shirt that is my fave (it’s what I’m wearing in the picture on my website), but it’s about worn out and I’m distraught about it. I wish I’d bought a dozen when I first got the thing!

How does the writing process work for you? Do your stories come to you all at once or page by page?

I typically know the ending before I know the middle. And, my beginnings will change constantly, as I try to start where the action begins. In “One Love for Liv” I originally started with her on a date with Geoff, and he brings her home and forgets his coat, and she finds the incriminating receipts. But, it was dull and not where the action was. The story really begins with her deciding to take steps to see if he’s cheating…so that’s where I bumped the beginning.

The ending is written by the time I have the first couple of chapters completed. It’s the middle I am consistently surprised by! I know where the H/H are headed…I’m just never sure how they’ll get there, by what means, or how many detours they’ll take along the way. It makes writing interesting for me.

If you could bring one character to life who would it be and why?

One of mine? Hmmm…maybe Camilla in one of my WIPs, because I’m certain she and I would be BFF. But, if I wasn’t married, I’d choose Duncan from “Now That We’ve Found You”. He makes my heart go pitty-pat.

Since you are published with several short stories plus two books, do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Sure! Write. Learn. Join a crit group. Write. Write. Write. and Submit.

Seriously, I know a dozen people who want to be published authors—but never take the time to actually write or submit. I’m the worlds biggest nag with my friends when I know they want to pursue publication. I like to think of it as constant encouragement .

But, the fact is: you’ll never be published if you don’t write, polish and submit.

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

I’d love for the folks reading this to share with me what they think is the most romantic hero of all time for them—either in a book or a movie, and why. I’m always intrigued by the differences of opinion in what people think makes the perfect hero.

Mine? Hmmm… In a book? Probably Roarke from the “In Death” series. A movie? I love the hero, Jack, in “While You Were Sleeping” and Prince Henry in “Ever After”. I fall in love with them each time I watch the movies.

I wonder… are they both beta heroes? I mean, they’re strong and solid guys, but I don’t think I’d consider them alpha males. I wonder what that says about me.

Marianne, thanks so much for being here today - best of luck with “One Love for Liv” and for your upcoming May release, “Change of Heart”! Readers visit her website and blog. And I’m looking forward to reading your comments to Marianne’s question about romantic heroes.

Buy here!

BLURB FOR ONE LOVE FOR LIV:

Olivia “Liv” Leigh, wealthy socialite and spa owner, suspects her fiancé of cheating on her, so she takes drastic steps to discover whether appearances are deceiving. And if those steps require a bit of stalking, a change of appearance, a hippo-sized dog named Spike, and sacrificing her manicure to clean house for a sexy but sloppy man whose neighbor is determined to break several of the strangest Guinness Book of World Records, why should that be a problem?

Mike, a happily single auto mechanic, is more than content sharing his bachelor pad with piles of laundry, dirty dishes, and a sneaky ferret. But when a half-crazed woman in a bad wig shows up on his doorstep, what’s a nice guy to do? Why, invite her in, unknowingly help her in her search for the truth and, in the process, fall head over heels for a woman who’s never been less his type.

Review: “One Love for Liv” is the kind of book that you never tire of reading and re-reading. This fast-paced and witty read actually made me laugh ‘til I cried in several parts. I can guarantee that I can’t even think about pizzas without my eyes misting over after I read the story. Ms. Arkins’ fresh and interesting writing style will attract fans of offbeat romantic romps. “One Love for Liv” can easily become your much needed break from life’s harried pace. Ms. Arkins is definitely an author to look out for!
- Bramble Nymph, Literary Nymphs reviews - Rated: 5 Nymphs

Award Winning Author of Historical and Inspirational Books published by Samhain Publishing and Grace Publishing

Welcome to the first day of “Author Week”, a celebration of Small Press Month! I’m thrilled to have six award winning authors here this week. A pretty neat way to start the spring season.

Anyway, grab a cup of coffee or tea, pull up your chair and join me as I interview Denise Patrick!

Have you always wanted to be a writer and when did you start writing?

No. Being a published author was never a dream of mine. I loved to write, but the stories I wrote (starting in Jr Hi) were always just for pleasure. In Jr Hi and HS, I had a best friend who read a lot of what I wrote and liked it, but if I were to read that stuff now, I’d cringe. The characters, however, have stayed with me and now I’m integrating them into my historicals.

What is the best piece of writing advice you didn’t take at first, but then realized it made a lot of sense?

“Once you’ve finished a book, print it out and let it sit for a week or more before you go back to revise and edit. You’ll be able to look at it with fresher eyes.” I don’t remember who gave me this advice, but it really works. If I start editing something right after I’ve finished it, I don’t see as many problems or plot holes that I would have if I go back to it after having been away from it for a while.

On days when you are bone tired, but know you must get at least a few pages done, how do you motivate yourself to get going?

I remind myself that even if what I write is pure crap, I can still go back and edit it, but if I write nothing, there’s nothing to edit. I can’t remember, but I think it was Nora Roberts who said, “You can’t edit a blank page.”

If you could bring one character to life who would it be and why?

I think it would be Alyssa from my first Inspirational, Adopting Alyssa. I love my characters and would love to have most of them around, but I gave Alyssa such a zest and love for life despite all she’d been through that it would be fun to be around her and experience the miracle of each day through her eyes.

If you could travel to anywhere at anytime in history…where would it be and why?

I would love to witness first hand the Regency period because that’s what I love to write about. But moreso, I’d love to be in Vienna during the last half of the 19th century. So much happened in the Austro-Hungarian Empire during that time. The different factions in the country trying to be heard, and there were the deaths of the Crown Prince at Mayerling in 1889 and the Empress in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1898. The consequences of those two losses had a direct effect on the future direction of the empire and the beginning of the end with WWI.

Is there anything else that you would like to share with us?
I’m a history-a-holic. I love Central European as well as English history. I also love fairy-tales and tend to weave fairy-tale themes into my plots. Think Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, etc. Even my contemporaries are likely have a reference to some historical fact buried in them.

The other thing I tend to write about is family. Most of my stories have an underlying theme of reuniting a family. Whether it’s through adoption, or just finding a long-lost relative, I truly believe that families should help and support one another through thick and thin. I also realize it doesn’t always happen in real life, but you can be assured that it does in my books - unless a member of the family is the villain!

I want to thank Diane for this opportunity to share with you and hope you will stop by my blog occasionally and say “hi”.

Denise, thank you for a wonderful interview today! Readers, please leave comments for Denise. Remember every time you do, you’re entered into my drawing for a $10 Gift Certificate which will be given at the end of the week! Click on the above link for Denise’s blog and for her group blog, Writers Across Time, click here! And be sure to read the blurb below for one of her releases.

Buy here!

BLURB:

Gina Taylor left God behind after high school. A paralegal in a large, prestigious law firm in Salt Lake City, she’s settled and content with her life. So – why does she have the feeling something is missing?

The last place Adam Wilson would choose to live is Utah. Packed off to an out-of-state college after turbulent high school years, he’s established himself and is on track to achieve his dream of becoming a partner in the law firm he works for.

God, however, has other plans, and bringing Gina back into the fold with Adam’s help will force them both to decide where their futures lie.

Review by Linda, Fallen Angel Reviews
Rating: 5 Angels

“Strikes Don’t Matter is a magnificent read that even lends a ray of sunshine to the reader. I love the inspiration that strikes up the romance for this lovely couple. Gina and Adam have some things in their life they must digest, especially Gina. Denise Patrick brilliantly spins a top-notch read that is purely enjoyable. Her writing is always superb, and I love the way she fashions everything to pull in the reader making them a part of the story.”

Other books by Denise:

Adopting Alyssa - CAPA Winner, EPPIE Finalist
The Importance of Almack’s - Samhain Publishing, OUT NOW!
Gypsy Legacy: The Marquis - Samhain Publishing, OUT NOW!

I’m sharing today a little promo for upcoming AUTHOR WEEK. I’m looking forward to having them here next week. Be sure to stop by.

Monday - Learn where Denise Patrick would like to travel and the time period if she could. I find it fascinating!

Tuesday - Marianne Arkins asks romance readers a fun question! It got me to thinking.

Wednesday - Lula Thomas gives great advice for aspiring writers!

Thursday - Allie Boniface will share a funny “First Kiss” story! I can see this happening to Allie.

Friday - Diana Castilleja tells what she’d do with $10,0000 left in an envelope on her front step. A fun way to enjoy the money!

Saturday - Ceri Hebert tells what motivates her to keep writing even when exhausted!

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Megan left comments about Colin Firth on yesterday’s post. I’ll copy some of the information here that she left about his story because I want to read what he wrote and I’m sure others will.

“Colin Firth’s “Department of Nothing” touchingly depicts a young boy’s efforts to escape the depressing realities of his everyday life by immersing himself in the make-believe world of his ailing grandmother’s stories.” Click here to read his story. Megan warned that her popup blocker went a litle crazy when she went there.

Thanks, Megan! Click on her name if you’d like to visit her blog.

And I better get busy. I need to clean the house for Easter.