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What can you tell us about your new release, Surrendering the Past?

Surrendering the Past is the first book of The Granville Legacy Series. It is an emotionally rich, gothic, suspenseful romance that sets the stage for the continuing story of the men of the Granville family and the women who love them. This opening book delves into the past of two brothers, Wesley and Richard, and how their tortuous childhood affects their relationship. Their abusive father has set his sights on a new victim and they each have their own way of dealing with the problem. While doing so, Richard falls in love with the woman he vows to protect and Wesley attempts to keep all his secrets hidden.

What's the last book you read?

What Angels Fear (Sebastian St. Cyr, Book 1) by C.S. Harris.

Who is your favorite couple from literature?

Hands down, without a doubt, forever and ever, Darcy and Elizabeth from Pride and Prejudice.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

I’ve had the bug as long as I can remember and lived in my own imagination throughout my childhood. I wrote some incredibly embarrassing poetry and short prose in college and then put it all aside when I started my family. About five years ago, while in the middle of a difficult pregnancy, I once again opened my computer and surprised myself by having something to say. My two biggest influences are Jane Austen and Flannery O’Connor. It’s hard to compare these two authors, but their influence on my work can clearly be seen in this new series.

What's your favorite thing about writing?

I love getting to know my characters, especially when they reveal themselves slowly and in surprising ways. Of course, there are few greater satisfactions in life than typing “the end.”

If you had an extra hour each day, how would you spend it?

I know I should say reading or writing, but I’ll be honest and say sleeping. As a busy mom, sleep is the one thing I do not get enough of.

What scene in Surrendering the Past was your favorite to write?

The next to the last scene in the novel is my favorite. One of our heroes has just had an incredible emotional release after long years of keeping it all together. Seeing him vulnerable and raw was so intense for me and we get to see a side of him that we had not before been privy too, as does another character.

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

It probably sounds lame, but I truly believe there is nothing you can’t accomplish if you work hard and believe in yourself. It might take a while, but you can reach your vision of success if you just go for it with all you’ve got.

Pamela Lynne is the author of the new book Surrendering the Past. 

Connect with Pamela:
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Over the course of my publishing career, I’ve set my books in the West—the Rough Riders and Blacktop Cowboys series both take place in different areas of Wyoming, and Denver is the backdrop for the Mastered series. While I love my cowboys and the rugged terrain that defines the men and women who live in rural America, I like to mix things up.

When I first started kicking around the idea for the Need You series, I decided to set it in the first “big” city my husband and I ever lived in: the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The people of Minnesota are some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet—hard working, family oriented, humble and unassuming, and a large part of that attitude is from the Scandinavian population who settled there.

Bad boy billionaires were all the rage in publishing when this new series started simmering in the back of my mind. Rich men and their families who acted like…let’s face it, entitled jerks. I’ve met some wealthy people over the years; some nice, some…not. But thinking about the series I wanted to create, a memory popped up that I’d forgotten.

During my short time in the Twin Cities, I waited tables at a breakfast/brunch/lunch restaurant in downtown St. Paul. I had an elderly couple who came in every day for about a week. They were courteous, friendly, and curious about my family ties in South Dakota. I enjoyed talking with them because they reminded me of my grandparents—retired farmers; good people who’d lived a simple life. My manager (a Minnesota native) was at the register when the couple came up to pay and I said goodbye to them. As soon as the couple was out of earshot, my manager said, “Do you know who that was?” Obviously, I didn’t. He told me the man was a former Minnesota legislator who owned one of the biggest farming operations in the entire state. The man hadn’t looked like a multi-millionaire. He hadn’t acted like he could buy half of the city if he wanted. He was just…a nice, hardworking man, proud of the life he’d built.

When that memory resurfaced, I knew I’d found the last piece of the puzzle of who my series was about—a decent, hardworking family, nice people who just happened to run a multigenerational conglomerate. It’s been a blast writing about the Lund family in the Need You series, and getting to do research in one of my very favorite places.

Lorelei James is the author of the new book When I Need You. 

Connect with Lorelei:
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What can you tell us about your new release, The Roommate Arrangement?

My new release is the second in my Arrangement series, but it is a standalone novel. The Roommate Arrangement is a fun, heartfelt contemporary romance. A perfect summer read for someone lounging on the beach. The book is about a woman, Saffie, who's down on her luck, has recently lost her job and been evicted. She goes to stay at her brother's summer vacation home, which is shared with seven other players on his professional soccer league. She starts a secret friends with benefits relationship with one of the players, her brother's ex-best friend.

Name a book that you feel has impacted your life significantly. Why was it so impactful?

The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman. I read the His Dark Materials series when I was too young to understand all the references, but the books made me question things I previously accepted without thought. And I wanted one day to write something as rich and thought-provoking as the world he created in His Dark Materials.

Which books would we be surprised to find on your shelves?

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

What's your favorite thing about writing?

The fact I can work at my own pace and have no one to answer to is the best thing, hands down.

If you could have dinner with anyone, alive or dead, who would you choose and why?

My aunt, Rosa, died of MS when I was thirteen. I'd love to see her again and ask how she's doing (and quiz her about the afterlife).

If you had to pick one place to vacation for the rest of your life, where would you choose?

Cinque Terre, Italy. In all my travels, there has never been anything so magical as Cinque Terre's coastal scenery, turquoise waters, bright green cliffs, and pastel colored houses.

What scene in The Roommate Arrangement was your favorite to write?

The cat café date!

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

“Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.” – Mark Twain

Vanessa Waltz is the author of the new book The Roommate Arrangement. 

Connect with Vanessa:
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What can you tell us about your new release, Out of Bounds?

I fell in love with the hero, Ethan, while I was writing this one. It’s a story about two unlikely people falling in love – the head over heels kind of love. Ethan is a player, in more ways than one. Zoe is a brilliant attorney and totally focused on her career. Trust me, sparks fly when their worlds collide!

Who is your favorite fictional character from literature?

This is a tough one. I love to read – anything and everything. Talking literature, I’m a fan of Jane Austen, and I adore Elizabeth from Pride & Prejudice.

Who are your literary heroes working today? Why do you admire them?

JK Rowling. She’s an incredible writer, and I admire her willingness to raise awareness about so many important social issues.

What books do you find yourself returning to again and again?

When I was younger, I probably read the entire Anne of Green Gables series a few hundred times. Now it depends on what mood I’m in. My husband thinks I’m amusing because I read multiple books at a time – from romance to literature to non-fiction. I do love romance and anything by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Jill Shalvis, Sierra Simone and more. Love, love, love historical romances by Lisa Kleypas and Julia Quinn. Gah! I can’t do justice to this. I have too many favorites!

What TV show have you binge watched?

Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

What's the best advice you've ever received?

You gain nothing if you don’t try.

What scene in Out of Bounds was your favorite to write?

I have two favorites. The opening scene was a lot of fun because the chemistry is humming right away, and Ethan & Zoe are such different characters. My other favorite is later in the book, close to the end, where both of them are emotionally vulnerable in recognizing the depth of their feelings for each other. It leads to a steamy scene in the car, which was intense and fun to write.

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

I’ll quote Winnie the Pooh here: A little consideration, all little thought for others, makes all the difference. (A.A. Milne)

Genuine kindness is underrated, so I try to keep that in mind no matter what I’m doing.

J.H. Croix is the author of the new book Out of Bounds. 

Connect with J.H. Croix:
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