This week in The Loft: Author Seelie Kay!

Okay, this is a bit weird. After a scheduling snafu with another author, a friend suggested that she interview me instead. As she put it, "Who better to tear down the myth that is Seelie Kay than someone who has known you for 30 years? And I've read every one of your books, so I think I'm qualified." So, after a little negotiation (okay, a lot), I consented to this interview. Enjoy!

Author Seelie Kay

D:  Ah, at last I have you in the hot seat! Millions of questions, so little time. Let's begin with the obvious. Why the hell do you write about lawyers? Seriously, they have got to be the most boring people on the planet. What do you find interesting about them?

S:  (Laughs.) Oh, that's rich. This from a medical doctor, the most boring profession on the planet. What normal person wants to deal with blood and guts for a living? At least lawyers don't have a God complex. It's not like you actually save the world. That's what lawyers do.

D:  (Snorts.) So glad we started with a glass of wine. I think I'm going to need it. If you think lawyers are so ripe for romance, why didn't you marry one?

S:  Because I never met one who did anything but piss me off? (Laughs.) I've met many hot lawyers, but dating one just seemed a bit incestuous. For probably the same reason you didn't marry a doctor. Seriously, after cohabiting in a cave with a bunch of baboons for three years, would you settle for a baboon, or would you seek out something different, more unique? 

D:  (Giggles, for way too long.) You realize baboons are rather promiscuous, right? (Wipes eyes.) Seriously, I'll bet if you met one of the lawyers you've created in your books, you'd fall hook, line, and sinker. Lordy, the things you make those men do! My husband won't let me read your books at night. Says they give me too many ideas. (Takes a sip of wine and fans herself.) 

So let me ask you about the Feisty Lawyers series. It's less about kinky sex and more about spies and suspense. A few of your friends think you're Janet, the law professor cum secret agent. So...

S:  (Blushes.) Is there a question in there?

D:  (Smiles wickedly.) Is Professor Janet MacLachlan your fantasy self?

S:  Sort of. We think alike. We have similar backgrounds, similar personalities. However, I've never been a law professor or a secret agent. But I've always wanted to be Emma Peel, Diana Rigg from the old Avengers. She was so witty, sleek, and deadly. (Sighs) In another life, that should have been me.

D:  I think the similarity lies in the avenging angel personality. You've always had a thing about justice. I've seen you pull a rabbit out of the hat when you think someone has been wronged. Whether working as a reporter or a lawyer, you don't stop until you find the answer and right a wrong. You're a bit intense, sometimes. 

S:  As I say in my books, it's not about vengeance, it's about justice. I honestly believe that.

D:  Tell me about the book you just finished, "Cult," Book 3 in the Feisty Lawyers series. Are you drawing on personal experience or just relying on stories you've heard, things in the news?

S:  Actually, I was inspired by two things. First, a friend who escaped from a cult in the 80s, and second, a relative who actually lead a notorious cult, profited greatly, then was exposed by a journalist. That was my starting point, but as I got more into my research I realized that in some cases, religious cults actually deal in slavery. Cult members may be nothing more than forced labor. Everything they do, everything they earn, belongs to the cult. So then I began to wonder, why do these people stay? Are they psychological captives or something more? Because once you're stripped of your worldly goods, then your individuality, your personality, and your identity, what's left?

D:   So your bevy of attorneys/secret agents rush in and save the day?

S:   Not exactly. Things get complicated. This time, justice comes in the form of exposure, not necessarily legal remedies. Sometimes, information is more powerful than justice.

D:  Do you think you'll continue to write about lawyers or are you going to shift gears eventually?

S:  (Shrugs.) Law is what I know. My exposure to Lawyerland has been unique. I've met presidents, supreme court justices, and some of the top lawyers in the land. But I've also met the lawyers who struggle, the ones who make me want to wash my hands after shaking theirs, and ones so corrupt that they frightened me. With all those personalities swimming around in my head, my mind never shuts down. However, one of my next books is going to take a dive off the deep end. It's going to be about a lawyer who's a vampire. He's being targeted by a serial killer, and well, things get bloody.

D:  (Drains the last sip of wine and holds out her glass for a refill.) So that wicked sense of humor is going to come out full force? First, we kill all lawyers...

S:  (Smirks.) I might knock off a couple of doctors first. 

D:  Hell, even I could give you a few names. OK, you said I had to ask for a blurb, whatever the hell that is. 

S:  Kind of like a doctor describing a procedure, but with a lot more panache.

Here's the blurb for "Cult"--

It's supposed to be a simple assignment. A quick trip to a South American country for an "in and out" fact-finding mission. Unfortunately, the targeted cult has other ideas.

When college students begin disappearing from American campuses, a notorious cult, God's Delight, is the primary suspect. God's Delight has been hosting shows featuring sex, drugs, rock and roll around the country, and young people are flocking to them. Among the missing is the President's goddaughter and he wants answers. He asks Agent Cade Matthews, a member of a secret covert organization, to find her. The mission appears fairly straightforward. Find the God's Delight compound, determine whether a welfare check on American cult members is warranted, and get out. Simple. Clean. Easy. Cade sends Agents Dianna Murphy and Anders Mark to the University of Wisconsin to follow the trail to God's Delight, but when they wind up in Bolivia, things go sideways. Suddenly, what appeared to be nothing more than a simple "in-and-out" turns deadly. When an Agency extraction is ordered, chaos ensues, and the question becomes, will anyone survive?

D:  Well, crap. That sounds intense. It will probably give me nightmares.

S:  (Smiles sweetly.) Consider it payback.

Next week in The Loft: Author Margo Bond Collins!

The week in The Loft: Canadian romance author H K Carlton!

With me today in The Loft is fellow eXtasy author H K Carlton. The author of numerous books, H K writes romance in its varied sub-genres--from naughty to nice, historical to contemporary, time travel to space travel, and everything in between. The mother of three children, H K lives in Canada with her husband.

S:  Good morning, H K. Thanks so much for joining me. 

You have written quite a few books. Why write romance?

HK:  Because I love a good love story. I blame my parents. Now that’s a love story. It wasn’t always easy but they were totally devoted to each other. I also write romance because my husband is the least romantic man—maybe not in the world—but he’s not winning any contests, that’s for sure. Writing romance gives me the opportunity to make some of my own.

S:  My parents were married almost 60 years, so I understand witnessing true love, as well as romance. Even when they got older, they were so sweet together!

Tell me, where do you do your best thinking?

HK:  Unfortunately, I do my best thinking when I first go to bed at night—I have the dark circles under my eyes to prove it. (Laughs.) Needless to say, getting to sleep can sometimes take a while. On the upside ,as a writer, this is also where I often hash out some pretty sweet plot twists. It’s remembering them in great detail the next morning that’s the hard part.

S:  I'm with you! I have taken to keeping my phone on my bed stand so I can record my sleepy thoughts. They don't always make sense in the morning, but usually I can recapture the good ones!

What should people know about you?

HK:  Most people—even some who are very close to me—don’t know that I am an author.

S:  Wow. You must be very good at keeping secrets! I write under a nom de plume to safeguard my identity, but most of my friends and family know I write romance. 

What inspires your flights of fantasy?

HK:  I've written two books that have been inspired by songs. 

The first is"Rock Me Gently," which is about a rock star who wakes up one day and doesn’t want to be a rock star anymore. He quits the music business and becomes—of all things—a history teacher. From Jase West to plain old Jason Westlake. During parent-teacher interviews he meets a single-mom of one of his students, and he is pleasantly surprised to find she has no idea who he is. But Lainey is going through a pretty nasty and public divorce from an ex-pro athlete. The press isn’t kind to her. So, Jason knows he’s going to have to tread lightly (or rock her gently) and he makes the decision to keep his former fame a secret. But secrets always have a way of coming out, and usually in the worst possible way.

I also penned a story entitled, "Memories of Us." The title is a play on a Keith Urban song, but the genesis of the story itself came from lyrics of the Thomas Rhett song, "Get Me Some of That." The following two lines from the song, got me thinking…"Swingin' your hips and slingin' your hair. Side to side with your drink in the air." I envisioned a bon fire. Blaring music. A crowd of friends partying. A young woman stands near the fire. She’s singing at the top of her lungs, swaying to the music, holding a red solo cup in the air. She doesn’t care what anybody thinks. Once I had that little bit of imagery, I had to build a back story from there. Who is this girl? What’s her story? What brought her to that party and why doesn’t she give a hoot, what people think of her. "Memories of Us," was born. 

People often ask writers where their ideas come from. Honestly, they can sprout from virtually anything. Any place. Any time.

S:  That is so true. Sometimes, the strangest things spark a story--a conversation, a photo, a dream. Taking that spark and fanning it into a big ole flame is what writers do!

Complete this sentence:  “Writing is…”

HK:  ...life, love, death, life-altering, all-consuming, frustrating, heart-breaking, eye-opening, cut-throat, satisfying, dissatisfying, exhilarating, soul-crushing, imagination overload, creativity, expression, a learning process, art, dreams, ideas, an outlet, therapy, cathartic. Writing is everything!  (Takes a deep breath and fans self.) Did I leave out dramatic? 

S:  (Chuckles.) It is all that and more!

Tell me about your book, "The Devil Take You."

HK:  This is actually a preciously published historical romance. It has been re-edited and reformatted. It will be re-released on April 5 by eXtasy Books. 

Here's the blurb--

I believe your stay in purgatory has only just begun…

Braelynn Galbraith wants peace for her beloved Scotland, marriage to her childhood sweetheart, and a house full of children. In that order. But evil incarnate, in the form of Gard Marschand, turns her life inside out and destroys all hope of a decent marriage.

Known in the Highlands as the legendary devil, Gard Marschand raids his way across Scotland and England amassing power and property in his malevolent wake. He will stop at nothing in his pursuit to regain what is lost—even conceal his true identity and associate with his enemies. His determination is all-consuming until he and his men lay siege to Ross-shire holding and one feisty Scottish lass obliterates his single-minded purpose.

Can Gard abandon his deep-seated need for revenge for a love that just might save his rotten soul? Or will he succumb to the demons that hound him and surrender to the devil within?

S:  Sounds exciting! Where can readers buy your book?

HK:  It will be released first by eXtasy Books, then other major booksellers. Here's the buy link--

https://www.extasybooks.com/coming-soon/?product_id=6412

S:  HK, thanks so much for joining me in The Loft! To learn more about H K and her books, visit--

Blogs:  

https://www.pickgenrealready.com/

http://breakgenre.blogspot.com/

https://pickagenrealready.wordpress.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/HKCarlton

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/AuthorHKCarlton

Amazon author page:  https://www.amazon.com/HK-Carlton/e/B009KVR7EW

Next week in The Loft:  Author Ivy Hearne!

This week in The Loft: Author Christina Lynn Lambert!

Joining me today in The Loft is Christina Lynn Lambert. The author of the Stranger Creatures series, Christina writes dark, sexy, suspenseful romance. The Stranger Creatures series takes place in Great Oaks, VA, where shape shifters walk among regular humans, but everyone has secrets. She is currently working on the Guardians of Blackstone Beach series. When not writing, Christina enjoys spending time with her family.

Christina Lynn Lambert

S:  Why do you write romance?

C:  Love is often overlooked at as an unnecessary afterthought or as a mistake by those who have been burned once or twice. I felt like it was important to create characters who were imperfect but had the courage to take a chance on love. I wanted to show that love is possibility for everyone, not just runway-perfect models or people who have never made mistakes. After reading a few modern romance novels--books by Shelley Laurentson, Nalini Singh, Shannon McKenna, and Rebecca Zanetti, for example--I knew for certain I wanted to be part of a genre that represented strong female characters who ask for what they want and play a key part in the relationship with their significant other, rather than simply settling for a role as someone's afterthought or inconvenience.

S:  The way women are portrayed in some romance novels has always bothered me. I think the weak, fickle female who can't handle life without a man propping her up misrepresents most love relationships and does readers a great disservice.

Tell me, where do you do your best thinking? 

C:  Often, I do my best thinking when I’m away from my computer. I get ideas when I’m driving or during a work-out, even while I’m in the shower. Since ideas tend to hit me at the most unexpected times, usually when I don’t have a pen or can’t write anything down, I just have to arrange and rearrange the possibilities and paragraphs in my head and try to remember as much as possible until I can sit down with a pen and paper. 

S:  (Laughs.) I know that feeling. I am always grabbing my phone in the middle of the night to record an idea. Otherwise, I can't sleep!

Name one person, book, or song that inspires your flights of fantasy. 

C:  "Learning to Fly" by Pink Floyd never fails to take my mind off the ordinary and make me imagine being weightless. The music mellows me out and this song, along with "Touch of Grey" by the Grateful Dead, is usually on whatever play list I listen to when I’m deep in my writer’s cave, trying to create the next chapter of a work-in-progress. 

S:  If you could live in any period of time, when would it be and why? 

C:  I would go back to the not too distant past (because I like running water and not having to kill my dinner and skin it myself) and explore the music scene of the 90s. I would hang out in bars and tiny little night clubs to see some of the bands and singers perform back before they were famous. 

S:  (Chuckles.) That sounds like fun! I imagine you'd also pick up some great material for a book!

What’s your favorite day of the year and why? 

C:  Halloween is my absolute favorite day of the year. I love that we get a chance to celebrate some of the macabre things that our imaginations can create. The idea that we can choose to celebrate the things we’ve left behind and the things that scare us, knowing we have the ultimate power over fear is so empowering to me. Also, I love the candy (except candy corn and fireballs).

S:  Oh, I'm with you on the candy corn. Yuck!

Tell me about your book, "Bear's Edge."

C:  Sure. "Bear's Edge" is a paranormal romance novel. It's the second book in the Stranger Creatures series. Here's the blurb--

A boss can't date her employee—simple as that. No matter how much Shayla wants to unravel a few of Grant's mysteries and take her friendship with the shy, sarcastic man to the next level, she's determined to keep her fantasies of him to herself.

After bear shifter Grant lost his girlfriend and three best friends in a fire, he did his best to shut himself off from everyone around him. Falling for Shayla wasn't part of his plan, but after a kiss that leaves them both speechless and hungry for more, Grant can't keep his desire for his boss under wraps any longer. When things between the two of them get hotter than he could have imagined, Grant wonders- will some of his darker desires be too much for Shayla or will she embrace the needs he’s kept hidden for so long?

An obnoxious reporter and Shayla's bitter ex have teamed up to chase down conspiracy theories that could destroy Shayla's business and worse, put her life in danger. To find their happily ever after, Shayla and Grant will have to trust in each other and find a way to crush all the obstacles standing in their way.

S:  Oh, I love shifter romances! Where can readers buy your book?

C:  It's available at all major booksellers, including--

Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/bears-edge-stranger-creatures-book-ebook/dp/b07kb78g9k

Barnes and Noble:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bears-edge-christina-lynn-lambert/1127154505

Kobo:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/bear-s-edge-1

Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/905705

S:  Christina, thanks so much for joining me today! To learn more about Christina and her books, please visit--

Website: https://christinalynnlambertwordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinalynnlambert

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chris4lamb

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Christina-Lynn-Lambert/e/B01MCYK0K7

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinalynnlambert

Next week in The Loft: Author H K Carlton

Enter to win Lee Collins' complete Men in Love And At War Series!

Last year, I had the pleasure of interviewing eXtasy author Lee Collins (see post on December 21, 2018).  Lee writes M/M romance and has authored 14 books, including the Men In Love And At War Series and the Apparition Intervention Series. The Men in Love And At War Series is now on tour and Lee is offering an amazing giveaway!  Click on the link below and enter to win a complete eBook collection of this fascinating series!

An excerpt from the December 21, 2018 interview--

S:   Good morning, Lee! I must admit I am a bit in awe of a writer who lives in an actual paradise. I can't imagine what it must be like to be surrounded by beaches, eternal sunshine, a volcano, and the Atlantic Ocean. That seems to be enough inspiration for a lifetime!

Let's start with the basics. What would you like people to know about you?

L:  In brief, I am fifty-two. I was born and raised in London and worked as a successful management consultant until I was 35. Then I decided to move to Tenerife (one of the Canary Islands, which are a part of Spain) to pursue a relationship. I gave up my career, sold everything I owned in London in the hope that I’d found true love. BUT, it went horribly wrong. Seventeen years later I still live here and I have found a new prince charming, so yeah, it didn’t go that horribly wrong. Now comes the really tough part for me. I lost both my parents when I was 27 to cancer, so it’s been me and my older sister supporting each other from thereon in. Thankfully, we have a very loving relationship so life goes on and my memories of my parents will never die. If you really want to know me, then read my book Sun, Sea and a Contemporary Art Gallery. It is basically my memoirs, but a literary agent recommended that I rewrite it in third person, which I did. The main character is Berkeley and he took on a life of his own. Due to popular demand, I wrote another seven books featuring Berkeley. Now I’m in a really good place.

Author Lee Collins

S:  You made an incredible sacrifice for love! That took a lot of courage. I think many people fall in love when it's easy. Few are willing to make sacrifices to pursue it. 

Is that why you write romance?

L:  I write romance because I am a die-hard romantic. I have had a lot of relationships, fallen in love, had my heart broken more times than I care to mention, but for me, romance will never die. I also love to write books about how I wish a romance I’ve had should have gone. I also use it as a platform to vent my frustration. I live with my ex, but the love and bond between us is stronger than ever, so I’ve got my prince charming/knight in shining armour and I wouldn’t give him up for anybody.  I found true love, even if he is a pain in the, ahem, at times!

S:  (chuckles) They can be the love of your life, but that doesn't mean they're perfect! 

If someone wrote a song about you, what would it say?

L:  (Laughs) This is going to sound so corny, but I actually wrote some songs when I was in my 20’s and I wrote a song called ‘Making Rainbows," because I wanted to make rainbows for all my loved ones. It is featured in my first book, "Mistela." I would have to choose this one for that reason. The words mean so much to me--

Making Rainbows

There was a time

When I believed

That I’d been deceived

Because I didn’t have all of the things that I should

Then much to my surprise

I finally realised that nothing in life is free

When it comes to money and love

And when it comes to push and shove

You’re the one to make it happen

You have to make your own rainbow

If you’re looking for a pot of gold

You have to shoot cupid’s arrow

If you don’t want your heart left in the cold

So if no-one's gonna give

Then use your initiative

To get the things in life that you want

It’s a lesson to be learned

That all you want can be earned

Rather than waiting and never getting

You have to make your own rainbow

If you’re looking for a pot of gold

You have to shoot cupid’s arrow

If you don’t want your heart left in the cold

Mistela was Lee Collin's first book

S:  Wow. That's really beautiful. "You have to shoot cupid's arrow if you don't want your heart left in the cold." That's a lesson some never learn, but it is one of life's truths.

Complete this sentence for me. Writing is... 

L:  First and foremost a crazy experience, and one you have to be absolutely determined to pursue and succeed in! I sent my first book to about 40 publishers and literary agents and got turned down by all of them. I had balls and guts at the time and I refused to accept their judgment and decision so I kept on trying. Then I struck gold with eXtasy Books who specialize in the type of genre that I write in (MM romance). Fourteen books later it is now a question of when the fingers connect with the mind. I plan things—plots, stories, etcetera, in my head, but when the fingers take over something else comes out. (Chuckles) I can’t complain though. I think my subconscious takes over and I am always happy when it does. I go into a "zone’ when I’m writing and I have to be in that zone or I write a load of… Being a writer is not easy, but I love it, and I don’t have to do it for financial reasons. I do it for the love of being given the opportunity to be creative and express my inner being and thoughts. I get so much joy and satisfaction from it, and I hope you all will when you read my books.

(Want more? Refer back to the December 21, 2018 post!)

To win a complete eBook set of the Men in Love And At War Series, 

click on the link below!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/23d974a91225/

Today in The Loft: Author Kayelle Allen!

Joining me today in The Loft is romance, suspense, and Sci-Fi author Kayelle Allen. Kayelle writes books with misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, role playing immortal gamers, and warriors who purr. Because she believes people don't buy books, they buy experiences, she strives to create stories people read, get lost in, and think about long after the last page. Kayelle is also the founder and administrator of Marketing For Romance Writers, a group that assists writers of romance with promoting their books. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, Kayelle claims she's been married so long, she's tenured!

Author Kayelle Allen

S:  Good morning, Kayelle! Thanks so much for stopping by!

You seem to have a very active imagination. Can you name one person, book, or song who/that inspires flights of fantasy?

K:  Just one? Hmmmm. I'm going to go with Nik Nitsvetov, the Russian cosplayer who portrayed Pietas from "Bringer of Chaos" last year. He and I are planning another cosplay event this year. To see the kind of work Nik does, check out the Ritual of Strength video. This is taken from scenes in both my books. (https://kayelleallen.com/gateway/pietas-ritual/) If this guy doesn't inspire flights of fantasy, nothing will. I'm going to add a second inspirational person here, Zack Black. He's literally the voice in my head when I write Pietas. He narrates this video. Zack completely captured the way Pietas sounds and even his voice. Surreal to see the physical person I imagine and hear his voice -- both come to life. This was an incredible undertaking and I can't wait to do it again. Links to both men are on the page referenced above. Okay, and one more thing. I listen to a playlist of songs while I write and that is a huge inspiration. The music includes "Nameless Heroes"" by Audiomachine, "Master of Time" by Epic North, and "Asimov" by Nick Phoenix. There are more songs, but those get played over and over.

S:  What should people know about you?

K:  I am a super busy person. Who isn't? However, I love cosplay and most of the people I follow on Instagram are cosplayers. But I don't dress up or take part in cosplay myself. I just photograph and enjoy it. They should also know that I love art and create my own banners. I have a creative team of designers with whom I work, which includes Nik, Zack, NanoCore (a digital weaponsmith), and Zealot6 (a video designer). You'll be seeing more videos in the near future. I'm producing several. I also own two book publishing companies, each built to feature my own books. Romance titles come from Romance Lives Forever Books and future science fiction titles (without romance) will come from Lucsondis Books. I also manage Marketing for Romance Writers, a peer-mentoring group for authors, and host authors on my daily book blog, Romance Lives Forever.

S:  (Chuckles.) Geeesh! When do you find time to sleep?

Complete this sentence: "When one of my books is released, I..."

K:  ...I am amazed I actually finished the thing. I must write. It's in the blood. But it takes so much to create a book that it's just a miracle when it's finished. I can't just write it and throw it out there. I plot, plan, edit, rewrite, edit again, send the book through multiple channels of beta readers, story editors, and final editors. If needed, I repeat steps. I'm never satisfied until it's as exciting and as perfect as I can make it. So maybe I should say that when one of my books is released, I'm exhausted and ready for vacation.

S:  (Chuckles.) I don't believe my books have been published until I actually hold them in my hands.   

What's the best advice you have ever been given?

K:  Write what's in your heart. No one can write only what they know. If they did, there would be no science fiction, no ghost stories, no Arthurian legends -- you get the idea. We can prepare and research and speculate, but we can't know. So do what you can to be accurate, but you are a writer. You are the one who says "In my world, it works like this." Best advice ever. Despite my penchant for perfection, I believe this with all my heart. It's my world. If I want it, I make it happen.

S:  A little self-belief in your ideas goes a long way. What's the best advice you have ever given?

K:  If you want to be a writer, don't let anyone steal your dream. Don't quit. Don't give up. Don't stop. The people who keep going and finish are writers.

S:  Exactly. There are so many out there eager to crush your dreams. Believe in yourself and forge ahead!

If you could "seize the day," how would you do it?

K:  I would not be flat on my back in bed thinking about writing a story. I would be up writing it. Plotting it. Making notes. Time is getting away from me fast. I don't have time to waste thinking about what I want to do. I need to do it. Now. Today. That's how I seize the day. I just do it.

S:  (Smiles.)  Spoken like a true writer. Writing is not only what we do, it is who we are. 

Tell me about your book, "Origin of Pietas."

K:  This is Book 1 of the Bringer of Chaos Series, which is about military genetic engineering in a dystopian world. Here's the blurb--

A captive of the people he loathes, the immortal Pietas is left for dead on the planet Sempervia. Six, a human soldier who is abandoned with him, offers food and water. A human, offering friendship? Surely, this is another trap, but to survive, Pietas must do that which he most detests. Trust a human...

"Forged in Fire" (Book 2) continues the saga and "Watch Your Six" (Book 3) is in progress.

S:  Where can readers buy your book?

K:  It's available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited at--

 https://books2read.com/u/4DovO7.

S:  Kayelle, thanks so much for joining me today. To learn more about Kayelle, please visit--

Homeworld:   https://kayelleallen.com
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/kayelleallen
Pinterest:  http://pinterest.com/kayelleallen/
Facebook:  https://facebook.com/kayelleallen.author

You can also join one of Kayelle's Reader Groups, download four free books, and get news about books coming soon. You can unsubscribe at any time.  Here's the link--

https://kayelleallen.com/reader-groups

Next week in The Loft: Christina Lynn Lambert!

The week in The Loft: Author Iris Blobel

Joining me today in The Loft is Australian author Iris Blobel. Born and raised in Germany, Iris immigrated to Australia in the 1990s. By day, Iris works at a private school and also presents a German program on local community radio. By night, she writes romance. Iris lives west of Melbourne with her huband, two daughters, and dog.

Author Iris Blobel

S:  Good morning, Iris! 

You've now written almost a dozen books. Why choose romance?

I:  I love romance. There’s so much hate in the world. I enjoy bringing people together in my books.

S:  Where do you do your best thinking?

I:  As in where do I come up with my best ideas for a book? (Seelie nods.) Holidays. Even better, holidays at the beach. I love it.

S:  (Nods.) I've often thought being able to write at the beach would be the perfect environment for an author, especially if there was a cabana boy to keep me supplied with umbrella drinks!

What or whom inspires your flights of fantasy?

I:  No hesitation. Cecelia Ahern’s book, "If You Could See Me Now." (Editor's note: Ahern is an Irish writer. This particulaw book was published in 2005 and is available in the U.S. under the title, "A Silver Lining."

S:  What’s your favorite day of the year? 

I:  Sunday afternoon in spring or autumn. Having a nice cup of tea n the backyard while reading a book or thinking of ideas for a new one.

S:  You are offered one of the following gifts:  A day back in time, a glimpse into heaven, or perfect health. Which would you take and why?  

I:  Perfect health. I’ve had my fair share of sickness. I’d love to wake up one day with no pain whatsoever.

S:  (Nods.)  People don't realize how important good health is until it's taken away.

Tell me about your re-release, "Innocent Tears."

I:  This book has undergone a rewrite and has a new cover. Here's the blurb--

Becoming a parent can be daunting at the best of times, but for Flynn McCormack, a business lawyer in Melbourne, it pulls the feet right out from underneath him. He’s become a father to six-year-old Nadine literally overnight. He didn’t know about her existence, and the news throws him into chaos, even more so when he is asked to take over custody.

With the help of Emma, an employee at the hotel where Nadine and her grandparents are staying, Flynn tries to do the right thing. Yet, the right thing in his eyes differs from his parents’ ideas, and Emma is voicing her opinion, too, leaving Nadine right in the middle of it all, still grieving the loss of her mother. There’s no doubt she’s afraid about where and with whom she will settle.

Will a letter Flynn receives help him decide what to do?

S:  Everyone knows I have a particular fondness for stories about lawyers, having played in the shark pond for many years!  This one sounds interesting! Where can people buy your book?

I:  The book is free for KU subscribers. It's also at--

https://www.amazon.com/Innocent-Tears-Iris-Blobel-ebook/dp/B07JH4H1XQ/

S:  Iris, thanks for joining me today! If you'd like to learn more about Iris and her books, please visit--

Newsletter:  http://eepurl.com/bQ68rL

Website:  http://www.irisblobel.com/
Blog:  http://www.irisblobel.com/blog
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/_iris_b
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/IrisBlobel
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4067254.Iris_Blobel
Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/Iris-Blobel/e/B00FNFP3LI/

Joining me next week in The Loft:  Author Kayelle Allen!