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What can you tell us about your new release, TinderElla?

TinderElla was a book I poured myself into and really wrote from the heart. It’s about a broken veteran who is saved by love. First by the love of his daughter and then by the love he never dreamed he could find with Ella. There are a lot of obstacles and darkness this couple has to overcome and together they are strong enough to take that on.

Which book from your childhood or teenage years has stuck with you as an adult?

The book that really drew me in and changed my whole perspective on how writing could make you feel was Stephen King’s IT. That book was a perfect blend of a coming of age story and horror. I remember when I first borrowed IT from the library thinking there were dictionaries with less pages. It felt a bit daunting to read something so long, but I’m so glad I did.

You're hosting a literary dinner party. Which three writers are invited?

If they can be living or dead, I would invite Hunter S. Thompson because I love his work and he seems like he’d be fun to party with. Stephen King because he had such a great influence on me when I was growing up. My final guest would be E.L. James, I would love a night to pick the brain of the woman behind the indie romance publishing revolution.

What's your favorite thing about writing?

My favorite thing about writing is when I become immersed in a chapter, and the walls in my house disappear and I feel like I can see the scene I’m working on unfold like a movie in my head. When that happens, this job doesn’t feel like work at all.

Where is your happy place? Why does it bring you joy?

I am always happiest when I’m lost in nature. I love hiking and canoeing to those little known places where your cell phone loses service and the stress of the world ceases to exist. I think there’s a quote about how there’s no problem that can’t be solved with a long walk, I really feel that way. Obviously, the walk itself can’t fix anything, but getting lost in the outdoors has a way of giving me perspective like nothing else can.

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

If you risk nothing, then you risk everything. It took me a while, but I finally took that quote to heart when I retired from the military and walked away from my pension to pursue this dream of writing.

What scene in TinderElla was your favorite to write?

It was more than one scene for this book. Every scene that features the four-year-old daughter of Jackson, Chloe, was my favorite to write. I based her so much on my four-year-old, so writing those words I’ve heard and scenes I’ve watched in real life really made me smile.

Eddie Cleveland is the author of the new book TinderElla. 

Connect with Eddie:
Author Website

 Twitter

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What can you tell us about your new release, Knocked Up by the Master?

Knocked Up by the Master was written with fans of Knocked Up by the Dom in mind. It starts fast, doesn't let off the gas, and will keep you wanting to turn the page and find out what happens next. There's a ton of steam, and of course, a great romance that was so special to write and watch unfold.

What's the best book you've ever read?

I think The Martian definitely makes the list. I've always been a sucker for books that are set up in a journal style, and The Martian took that style to its fullest, in my humble opinion. And as a nerd for story structure, I think it's an incredibly good example of a book that hits all the major moments and points in the story structure at exactly the right times.

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

I don't know if I'd go as far as to say "literary" because I've always felt like the term literature/literary implies a certain kind of stuffiness. I much prefer just judging a book by one thing and one thing only: how much I enjoyed the experience of reading it. That being said, I've always enjoyed Brandon Sanderson's fantasy--particularly the Mistborn series. I really love nerding out on his complicated magic systems and political intrigue. I admire that he has such a talent for making the mechanics of how magic works in his story universes a central and interesting part of every book, because I know that can't be easy to do.

What's rocking your world this month?

Deadlines! I am trying to get out two books this month, which means my normal few days of recovery between writing books is gone, and I have no wiggle room when it comes to hitting my word count every single day. It's stressful, but it'll be worth it when I've got the three Knocked Up books out as quickly as I wanted.

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

Grindelwald Switzerland. In the winter, it looks like something out of a fairy tale. Little cottages speckling a steep hillside with a tiny country road crisscrossing between every house. You can see smoke rising up from the chimneys and warm yellow light in all the windows. You can just look at the scene and imagine the kind of life you would live in a place like that. I live in Florida and have lived here for pretty much my whole life, and the worst part is I absolutely *hate* hot weather. So imagining a life where I could actually go outside most of the year without feeling like I just stepped into an oven sounds like Heaven.

What's in your Netflix queue?

I'm actually not a huge show watcher right now because my daughters are 1 and 2. I try not to just have the TV on when they are awake, and when they are asleep I'd rather be reading or writing. But I eventually want to watch Stranger Things because I've heard really good stuff about it and it sounds like my kind of show.

What scene in Knocked Up by the Master was your favorite to write?

Without spoiling anything, it was a scene near the end of the book. It's kind of strange as the author, because I set out with a pretty decent idea of who my characters are and why they do the things they do. One of the harder things about writing is not turning every character into a fictionalized version of yourself who does and says what *you* would do in every scenario. Usually, the easiest way for me to avoid this is to try to imagine them as real people. I try to think of their past and some defining moments in their lives, so when they are faced with a difficult decision, I can reflect back with them on their past and use that to inform their decision. ANYWAY, to get back to the question. My favorite moment in this book was the feeling of discovering Leo's (the hero) past. I had an idea of where he came from, but it felt right to explore that with him and Lysa. Writing those moments was really special for me, because it was almost like I was starting to understand why Leo was the way he was for the first time, too.

Penelope Bloom is the author of the new book Knocked Up by the Master. 

Connect with Penelope:
Author Page

 Twitter

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What can you tell us about your new release, Mustang Buck?

Where to begin… Mustang Buck is a small-town romance set in Kingsbury Falls, Texas. It is the story of town bad boy, Jax McKinney who meets a mysterious visitor to town and falls head over heels for her. Unbeknownst to him, she came with a very specific agenda. When her secrets and lies come out… it’ll turn the entire town upside down!

What or who inspired you to become an author?

I was an English Literature and Linguistics major in college and loved to read. When I had my first child, I had a number of health issues and long recovery times. The more I read, the more I realized I had my own stories to tell. What started as a short story became a novel, which turned into a series, and that has turned into a career.

Who is your favorite couple from literature?

That’s a really difficult question! I have so many. I would have to go with Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth from Jane Austen’s, Persuasion. I think they are far more interesting than Miss Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Anne has so much depth of character. Where some would see her as weak for giving Captain Wentworth a second chance years after they first fell in love, I see her as strong. In that time period, loving a man with such ferocity and conviction was a precarious position to be in as a woman. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read it!

What's your favorite thing about writing?

The moment of conception. When an idea evolves as you type. It could be the entire story, or just a scene. You know when you’ve done something special when you love the characters so much they can bring you to tears. When I am in the flow with a major turning point for the main characters, I feel like I could fly! It’s magical.

BAM. You're a superhero. What's your superpower?

Selfishly, I would want to be able to teleport with the blink of an eye or the click of my fingers. I live in Houston, Texas with my husband and babies, but I’m originally from Glasgow, Scotland. All of our family is back there, so I would love to be able to see them all the time, while still being able to give my kids the opportunities and experience of living abroad.

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

Reading. Since I started writing, my reading hours have dwindled significantly. For me, reading is food for the soul. We all need it. I would definitely enjoy having a dedicated hour in my day to read.

What scene in Mustang Buck was your favorite to write?

It’s hard to narrow this down to one scene. This book truly took on a life of its own, twisting and turning in ways I hadn’t planned. It became so much more to me. In the time between writing the first sentence of this book and typing The End, I snapped a bone in my foot, lived through a hurricane, and found out I have a second autoimmune disease. It’s been an emotional journey to say the least, and so many scenes reflect that heartache and overwhelming love. I think the Epilogue might be my favorite if I need to choose one. The connection between Jax and Savannah reminds me so much of my husband and me. He’s my rock, my best friend, and the love of my life.

Sienna Parks is the author of the new book Mustang Buck. 

Connect with Sienna:
Author Page
 Twitter

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