Interview with Debut Author Angela Kay Austin

Dyanne: Angela, Congratulation on your debut release, Love's Chance, with Red Rose Publishing which released in February. (Plug) So tell the RSJ family a little about Angela.

Angela: Thank you, Dyanne. I'm so proud of Love's Chance. It wasn't my first manuscript, but it was the first one published. It's set in central Pennsylvania, and it covers so many experiences that I saw, and heard of while living there. I think the RSJ family will find it warm and interesting.

About me, hmmm, well, I'm originally from Tennesee, but I left the area years ago to attend Howard University in Washington, D.C. I continued on to grad school, and I just never left the D.C. area. Eventually, I will return to Tennessee. I miss it a lot.

Dyanne: How long have you been writing?

Angela: I've been writing forever. I've always wanted to be able to tell stories that drew people in, and make them forget about whatever they were going through.

Dyanne: Making people forget what they’re going through is a great thing about writing, especially romance. How long have you been a fan of the romance genre?

Angela: Ever since my mother dropped her Reader's Digest books on the coffee table, and I devoured the short stories, I've loved women's fiction, and that progressed to YA romance, and here we are. I love telling stories of all types of love. Where families, friends, and love relationships can survive all types of things vs. the Kleenex mentality.

Dyanne: If you could have one wish(other than you wish they'd stop picking on the president and world peace) what would it be?

Angela: My one wish? Honestly, it would be for some of the crimes I see committed against children to end. I have no children, but I absolutely love my niece and nephews, and I could never imagine the type of grief any harm to them would bring to me. Every time I turn on the news it breaks my heart to see another child harmed.

Dyanne: Good wish, Angela. Children are my weakness. Do you have a website or blog where readers can go to learn more about you?

Angela: Yes, they can reach me through my website at www.AngelaKayAustin.com, and they can click on My Blog at the top of the page. There they can keep up with the latest on me. Of course, they can visit me on Facebook, Twitter or MySpace as well.

Thanks so much, Dyanne, for allowing me to visit with RSJ family today.

Dyanne: Family, we’ve given you quite a list of new books to put on your reading list. Since Dee and I can’t possibly keep up with all of the new books coming out we need your help. This is to ALL of you, authors and readers. Please send your upcoming books info and I’ll start posting the books even if you’re not scheduled to do an interview. Our aim is to bring good books to the family. Until next month when hopefully I will have a surprise for you.

Dyanne Davis
www.dyannedavis.com
davisdyanne@aol.com

Interview with Author Michelle Monkou

Dyanne: Michelle, hello and thank you for talking to the RSJ family. I also want to give you a big thank you and for providing the tote bags for the RSJ family that they will be given on the cruise. That was a super fantastic gift.

Along with the sometimes crazy questions I ask authors I've decided that this would be a good place to also spotlight the books the authors in the family are putting out. So why don't you tell us what you're doing and especially tell us about the books you have coming out this year.

Michelle: In August 2009, I redirected 100% of my efforts to my writing career, leaving behind the day job of a legislative analyst. At the same time, I also stepped into the presidency of Romance Writers of America, a 10,000 member organization. I also have teen kids, a husband with whom I’m about to celebrate our 20th year anniversary, and a cat that is as moody as me.

This February I’m happy to announce my 13th title – Trail of Kisses - under the Harlequin Kimani imprint. This story is part of the Ladies of Distinction series which features sorority sisters after college. In October, my release – The Millionaire’s Ultimate Catch, is featured as part of the hunky Kimani Hotties line up.

Dyanne: Happy anniversary to you and your husband. Bill and I will be celebrating our 40th in a few months. As I interview you I'm thinking about our president (USA) and wondering right at this moment if you're really feeling him?

Michelle: I’m proud of our president. However in my position, I know that I don’t have to deal with such enormous responsibilities. I think that President Obama and I have a passion and love for what we do. We will make the best decisions that we are capable of making.

Dyanne: I can say with a certainty that the RSJ family wishes both you and President Obama an easier tenure. Now for a little fun. Guess what? I've been given the power (Seriously) to grant the wishes of those I find most deserving. Convince me you're deserving and then tell me your wish. And world peace has been taken.

Michelle: Hmm. I’m not a goody two shoes. I’m not a Florence Nightingale type. I’m not a Mother Theresa type. So, as far as deserving—quite simply, I’m loyal, good natured, and occasionally generous. I wish a larger percentage of our youth would be avid readers.

Dyanne: As I told Kim, your wish has been granted. I have that same wish. Now back to the writing life. Where are you in the writing game?

Michelle: I think it would be shortsighted or a narrow focus to pinpoint a position in this writing game. Just like any board game, you can take two steps forward and five steps back. You can start at the bottom and then shoot to the top only to get knocked back a couple levels. So I don’t obsess about where I am. I work with what I’m in control of, which is the product. I can write and develop my skills to tell my stories. The marketing, the placement on shelves, the climb up the mountain, well, those are incidentals. Keeping such a perspective allows me to be calm and happy.

Dyanne: You talk like a writer who has her head on straight. Good. How did you get started with your writing career?

Michelle: I always wrote as a child because I loved reading and wanted to create my own stories. In the early 90s, a co-worker told me about a writing group, which was the DC chapter of Romance Writers of America. I joined and began learning about the craft. I also enjoyed the social networking. It took several years to develop the discipline and to shift the focus from treating my writing as a hobby to actually pursuing a career as a writer. In 2002, my first contemporary romance story was published as Open Your Heart. Since then, I haven’t stopped writing those stories.

Dyanne: Give us a little peep into your non writing life.

Michelle: I’m so busy with my writing life that my non-writing life is squeezed in or scheduled way in advance. I love to travel. So each year, my family and my brother’s family travel to Barbados to vacation. I also am a movie buff and can be found with my daughter watching movies on the weekend. Now that we have the Beatles Rock Band, the family plays together. I’m the singer. Can’t be bothered with playing the guitar or drums.

Dyanne: It’s always fun for me to find out what writers do besides write. Michelle, thank you again for taking time out to talk with us. Can you give us links to where the RSJ family can reach you?

Dyanne, thank you so much for this opportunity. I can be reached at http://michellemonkou.com, http://myspace.com/michellemonkou, http://facebook.com/michellemonkou, http://twitter.com/michellemonkou

Interview with Author Kimberly Kaye Terry

Are you all getting excited about the cruise? It’s going to be fantastic. Don’t forget to bring a couple of items that hopefully you won’t need. Aloe Vera gel, Noxzema (do they still make that?) in case of sunburn. And yes, we do burn. Something for gastrointestinal issues (both ends) (Smile) and something in case you become seasick.

What a way to bring you three exciting interviews. Sorry, but I’m a mother and a worrier. I want you all to have the most fantastic vacation of your lives. Our first interview is with Kimberly Kaye Terry.

Dyanne: Kimberly, hello and thank you for talking to the RSJ family. First off I want to congratulate you on not only being up for an Emma, but for also being up for an award from RT. Good luck to you in both contests. Along with the sometimes crazy questions I ask authors I've decided that this would be a good place to also spotlight the books the authors in the family are putting out. So why don't you tell us what you're doing and especially tell us about the books you have coming out this year.

Kim: Hello Dyanne, thank you for the invitation to chat! I feel honored and blessed to have had The Sweet Spot nominated for both an Emma as well as the Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice award; thank you so much for the congratulations!

Okay, so what I’m doing this year is writing, writing and more writing, LOL. Last year I contracted with Harlequin Kimani and Arabesque to write four novels and one novella. My novella, titled Chocolate Truffles (featuring a Baptist girl who finds love with a Jewish hero) will appear in a holiday-themed anthology along with two amazing authors, Beverly Jenkins and Adrianne Byrd, in October of this year. My first Kimani, titled Hot To Touch, (which is an interracial story as well, a steamy romance featuring a journalist named Emma by the way, LOL, and the hero, Shane, who is a Smoke Jumper) releases December of this year. The following year my trilogy, titled Wyoming Wilde, will release in back-to-back months, February, March and April, of 2011 and I’m super excited about this awesome beginning for my family dynasty! The series is centered around three men who grew up as brothers, although they are all of different races, who own a ranch outside of Landers, Wyoming. Boy am I having fun writing each one of their stories! I’m currently finishing the first story, featuring Nate and Althea, and this one has a little bit of suspense thrown into the sexy…my favorite type of book to write :)

Dyanne: You’re certainly busy, but it’s heartening to know that you’re having fun. Kim, I know the RSJ family wants me to ask this question. I can hear their voices. For those hot steamy scenes, are there any G-rated tips you can give us for your inspiration?

Kim: Hmmmm. G-rated. From me?! Awww, come on Dyanne, that’s asking the impossible! Seriously, I will say that any author writing sexy scenes should feel comfortable in what she’s writing. If she doesn’t, it will come out forced and not natural sounding. I think if you are in-tuned with your characters, where they are emotionally in the scene, the love scenes like any other scene, will flow naturally. Throw on some Luther, kick back, have fun with it and just let your imagination take flight;)

Dyanne: LOL. You did a good job of giving me a G-rated answer. Guess what? I've been given the power (Seriously) to grant the wishes of those I find most deserving. I've already granted Michelle Monkou her wish. I'd love to grant yours also. Convince me you're deserving and then tell me your wish. And like I told Michelle, world peace has been taken.

Kim: I’m a naughty girl, Dyanne. I don’t know that I can convince you that I’m deserving of your supernatural abilities! But, if I were, my wish would be that everyone (myself included as I sometimes forget) ascribe to one of my favorite quotes. It was penned by Dr. Maya Angelou, “Be grateful for all things and present in all things.” Sometimes it’s easy to grateful. It’s not always easy to be present. This part of the quote took me much longer to grasp. Being present for me is enjoying every moment of this sometimes crazy, sometimes disappointing, but always awesome journey, we call writing.

Dyanne: Great answer and deserving of having a wish granted. We’ll talk after you fulfill your promise. (Shhh)Now back to the writing life. Where are you in the writing game? How many books do you have out now?

Kim: In the writing game I’ve had fourteen novels published, with a handful of those being novellas. My first book, which I call the book of my heart, Love’s Redemption, released January of 2006, with a small ebook publisher. I’ve since gotten the rights back.

Dyanne: How did you get started with your writing career?

Kim: I wrote my first book when my husband was deployed to Afghanistan. It was a very hard time in many ways. My daughter was a toddler, husband deployed, and I had recently suffered another miscarriage. I was blessed then and now because my daughter is my joy. As I wrote my first book (it took me about a year, as I was and still am, a full time mommy) she helped keep the sadness at bay for me. Fast forward a few years, and I still call myself a full time mommy first, and then I’m a full time author :)

Dyanne: Very well said. I love the being a full time mommy first. IMHO it’s our most important job, and the most rewarding. Kim, Give us a little peep into your non-writing life.

Kim: Peep into my what?!...why Dyanne, I didn’t know you were a voyeur! LOL. Just kiddin’. What kind of interview would this be with me, Dyanne, if I didn’t say inappropriate things once in a while? I gotta keep you on your toes, lady ;) Okay, okay, I’ll behave! Well, when not writing, I’m usually chauffeuring the bratlett, aka my daughter, to ballet, tap, hip-hop and piano lessons! I also volunteer, weekly, as a counselor for a battered women’s group. I’m a part-time herbalist and grow a lot of cool herbs (of the legal variety) in my garden. I’m particularly proud of my rosemary. It started as a small bush and now takes up a full corner of my garden! I also take tap dancing classes and just finished taking a class on pole dancing! The hubby really liked me taking the pole dancing class. *ggg*

Dyanne: You’re right, you’re keeping me on my toes and I’m laughing. I don’t dare ask a follow up question but I’ll email you later about the herbs. (the legal variety.) The last two or three years you've been so busy with your writing career that I was wondering if you've had an time to relax.

Kim: I have been busy, Dyanne, but to me writing is my passion, and really doesn’t feel like work at times. I simply enjoy sharing the stories clamoring around in my head, with the world. It’s a blessing to have such wonderful readers who enjoy my work. However there are times when I’m so tired from racing through deadlines that I force myself to take a small break, and step away from my office! Those times are few, but they always help me feel refreshed and ready to hit it hard and heavy when I return…and no, Dyanne, I’m not being naughty with the whole hitting it hard and heavy, thing, I swear! Okay. Maybe I am. A little.

Dyanne: Kim, You wouldn’t be you if you weren’t being naughty. But you did good. Thank you again for taking time out to talk with us. Can you give us links to where the RSJ family can reach you?

Kim: No problem, it was fun! My website is www.kimberlykayeterry.com I’m also on facebook, where I can be found procrastinating, posting pictures of naked men, and general ruckusing, under Kimberly Kaye Terry. Come on by and be my friend!

Dyanne: Thanks Kim

Kim: Thank you, Dyanne and the wonderful RSJ folks!

http://www.kimberlykayeterry.com