Today it is my pleasure to welcome Nancy Henderson to my author interview hotseat. A paranormal and historical author, Nancy is certainly a  woman of many talents.  🙂  Nancy, welcome! (And, hey, look at her hot cover!) I am seriously intrigued by her latest release…what can I say?  This demon story has got me curious!!

1.    Please tell us a bit about yourself and the genre (or genres) that you write.

Well, first off, thanks so much for having me, Cynthia.  It’s a great pleasure to be here.  I’m Nancy Henderson, and I write historical and paranormal romance.  I’ve been writing my whole life.  My first book, a historical romance, was published in 2004, and I’ve been a whirlwind of writing and promoting ever since.  I love words, reading them, writing them, even editing them.  They are my passion, always have been, probably always will be.

2.    Describe your current (or upcoming) release in 15 words or less.

My latest release is WICKED REDEMPTION, a contemporary paranormal romance.   Maggie Webb is used to seeing ghosts…until a demon shows up on her doorstep.

3.    Okay, now use as many words as you’d like to describe your story.

Well that’s certainly easier.  LOL!  Here goes:

Maggie Webb never considered her ability a gift.  In fact, seeing dead people
has put quite a damper on her life.  When a demon shows up seeking revenge, all hell breaks loose.  An even bigger problem:  he passes out in her home then wakes up with no memory whatsoever.

Cole Turner is back from Hell, and he’s going to make Maggie pay.  Maggie’s “gift” is blocking his mission of stealing souls.  However, coming to Earth without permission from The Dark One has cut his ties to Hell and caused him to lose his memory.  He no longer knows Maggie Webb as his enemy but sees her as the only person who can help him discover who, or what, he really is.

Maggie doesn’t want to see the vulnerability in Cole, and the healer in her struggles against her better judgment.  Having amnesia, Cole reveals his humanity to her, and he becomes the first to really understand her gift, which gradually unlocks her guarded heart.  The attraction she feels toward him is undeniable, but if Cole regains his memory he may try to destroy her once again.  And if the Dark One finds him…Can Maggie break the bonds of Hell?

4.    Which character do you like better from WICKED REDEMPTION—the hero or the heroine?  Why?

Hmmm…that’s a tough one.  I don’t think I ever really favor one over the other.  They work simultaneously.  Both have their own set of strengths and weaknesses, each compliments or conflicts with the other.  Both definitely play off each other, moving the plot forward.

5.    What is the most challenging part of being a writer?

Time.  I have a full time job and a commute, so I have to squeeze writing in by getting up early, sometimes at 3 am when facing a deadline, staying up late (sometimes until 3 am—LOL), and even working lunch hours.

6.    In a fight, who would win…Dracula or the wolf-man?  What? This question seems odd?

Dracula, he’s too smart to be outwitted by a mere canine!  C’mon, I’m a Stephanie Meyer and Christine Feehan fan.  I always have to cheer on the vamps!

7.    What’s your favorite scary movie?  Come on, spill.  No explanations—just name it.

There are so many. I love scary movies and books, love being scared. It’s like riding a roller coaster.  I love the old War Of The Worlds movie, the SAW series, Blair Witch, Friday the 13th, Freddy, and all the 80s cult classics.

8.    Tell me the one thing you wish you’d known about being a writer, um, before you became  a writer.

That writing was a business.   Not every editor or reviewer is going to love your work.  Your story might be “your baby” but as is, it’s raw, exposed, needs to be edited. So much more work goes into a book after the contract.  And I’m so thankful for my editors.  They made my work so much better, gave me a more critical eye, taught me to work hard, nose to the grindstone.  Writing isn’t just a hobby done when you feel inspired.  It’s a real job, real work, that needs to be completed at a set time.  No excuses.

9.    What is your writing schedule like?

I wish I had a schedule! LOL  I write either very early or very late.  I still haven’t figured out if I’m a morning or night person.  I write longhand, on my laptop, or on my Alphasmart.  When I’m writing on my lunch hour, I write on my Alphasmart then transcribe the work on my computer when I get home.  I guess the variation keeps me from getting bored. On weekends, I sometimes write at the local diner or Panera Bread.

10.    Tell me anything you’d like to tell me.

I have a busy schedule this year.  In addition to my paranormal romance, WICKED REDEMPTION, which is out now, I have another historical romance coming out in August ’09, entitled STRANGER IN HIS BED.  Visit my website for more information:  http://www.nancyhenderson.com

Some other places you can find me is my blog:  http://www.nancyhenderson.blogspot.com or My Space:  http://www.myspace.com/nancyhenderson.  And I’ve just recently caught on the Twitter craze.  I still haven’t figured it out yet, but it’s becoming very addicting. LOL   Oh, and I love to hear from readers. You can e-mail me at:  nancyhenderson2004@yahoo.com

Thanks for answering my interview questions, Nancy!

Thank you for interviewing me, Cynthia!

Hi, everyone! Sorry it’s been quiet here on the old blog for the last few days. I’ve been frantically trying to finish up the polishes on my RS story before I head out to Orlando on Saturday.  I’m also trying to organize all my promo material for RT, so, um, yeah, my  house pretty much looks like a disaster zone.

But, hey, on a brighter note, I wanted to check in to tell you about a book giveaway.  The super talented and charming Beth Kery has posted an interview (I love being interviewed!) over at her blog (just follow the link and scroll down for the giveaway) and one lucky commenter will win an autographed book from my backlist–winner’s choice. So head on over to comment for your chance to win.

And, hey, while you’re there, be sure to enter Beth’s DARING TIME Contest:

Today, I’ll be signing copies of IMMORTAL DANGER at Books-A-Million (3960 Airport Boulevard, Mobile, Alabama, in the Pinebrook Shopping Center), from 2 pm until 4 pm. If you’re in the area, please stop by!

And, if you’re not in the area but you’d still like an autographed copy of  IMMORTAL DANGER, then head over to Anya Bast’s blog because she’s giving away a copy to a commenter today! Just scroll down on her blog to see the “Daily Book Contest” (and she’s got an interview up–thanks for interviewing me, Anya!)

I hope everyone has a great day! Happy Easter!

A quick post to announce that some awesome authors are giving away copies of IMMORTAL DANGER–plus a ton of other really fabulous reads!

Who are these oh-so-magical authors?

Ann Aguirre (See her most fun In the Wild Contest)

Anya Bast (Check out the Ginormous Vegas II Contest)

And…on another note, I want to send out my congrats to Larissa Ione–Larissa is now a New York Times best-selling author!  Way to go, Larissa!

Hi, everyone! Today I am thrilled to have talented author Ann Aguirre as my interview victim. Ann has an awesome new release on bookstore shelves right now–BLUE DIABLO just released. (And one lucky commenter will get this great book!)

Ann, thanks for joining me today!

On to the interview!
1.    Please tell us a bit about yourself and the genre (or genres) that you write.

If you don’t know me, I’m Ann Aguirre. I was born in the Midwest, and I have a degree in English Lit, but I now live in Mexico, which I love, with my husband, Andres, and two great kids. I write romantic science fiction, urban fantasy, and action romance. The first two are published under my real name. My action romances will release via the pseudonym Ava Gray.

2.    Describe BLUE DIABLO in 15 words or less.

Unique urban fantasy with an habañero kick

3.    LOL—okay, now use as many words as you’d like to describe your story.

Well, here’s a short blurb:

Corine Solomon is a handler—when she touches an object she instantly knows its history and its future. Using her ability, she can find the missing—which is why people never stop trying to find her. Like her ex-boyfriend Chance, who needs Corine’s gift to find someone dear to them both. But the search proves dangerous as it leads them into a strange world of demons and sorcerers, ghosts and witchcraft, zombies—and black magic…

In the Corine Solomon books, I explore the idea of two people loving each other desperately, but–apart from their shared history, they probably don’t belong together. What happens when you want something that’s not good for you? What happens when two people aren’t soulmates, destined to be together forever? What happens when a relationship between them is difficult and raw and every inch gained is a struggle? Is it worth fighting for? Is it worth battling to make the pieces fit? Well, you’ll have to read the series to get my take.

4.    Which character do you like better from BLUE DIABLO—the hero or the heroine?  Why?

That’s an easy question: the heroine, of course, but only because I write in first person, and I’m in her head all the time. I understand her from the inside out. Plus, this is urban fantasy, so there isn’t one clear-cut hero/love interest from the jump. We’ll have to wait and see as the series goes on to see who emerges the victor in the romantic thunderdome.

5.    What is the most challenging part of being a writer?
Well, there are two answers to this: a personal one and a general one. Personally, I grapple with the discipline needed to meet my word count every single day I’m working on a contracted project. I live by daily goals that add up to meeting my deadlines, every time.

In a more general sense, from before I landed my first contract, I think dealing with rejection is the most challenging part for any writer. It takes dedication to keep your ass in the chair when there’s so little immediate gratification. We wait years for feedback. We get told we stink repeatedly until we have to grow elephant skin in order to keep trying at all. This is one of the only jobs where you can spend twenty years hearing how terrible you are — and then overnight, all that can change. One editor likes you, and suddenly readers get a look at your stuff. Surprise! They love it. So does that mean you didn’t suck after all or you spent twenty years learning NOT to suck? It’s a question for the ages. This is not a world with absolutes; the subjectivity can be crazy-making.

6.    In a fight, who would win…Dracula or the wolf-man?  What? This question seems odd? Please, folks are dying to know this answer.

Well, obviously it would depend on whether Drac could drain Wolfie dry. Is were blood poisonous to vampires or is it a mega-boost? If Drac can drain him, he wins. If he cannot, then Wolfie wins.

7.    What’s your favorite scary movie?  Come on, spill.  No explanations—just name it.  Let everyone else guess why.

Pitch Black

8.    Tell me the one thing you wish you’d known about being a writer, um, before you became  a writer.

That being published isn’t a panacea. I thought once I was published, I could quit worrying. All I’d need to do is sit around in my happy place, writing books.

9.    What is your writing schedule like?

I write while the kids are in school, 8-2:30. In that time, I get my 3K done. I write five days a week, so it takes six weeks to finish a draft. Then I take some time off, depending on the deadline; a week is ideal to clear my mental palate. At that point, I go through the book with my editor hat on, and I polish the manuscript. My agent and beta reader(s) read over it and give me feedback. With their suggestions, I make a second pass, until I feel the book is as shiny as I can make it. My editor receives it then, and I wait for her comments. I work on edits and revisions simultaneously with my writing. If I have edits, revisions or galleys, I take care of them in the afternoon / evening, after I’ve met my word count.

10.    Tell me anything you’d like to tell me.

I have lots of free reads on my website, and I love hearing from readers. They should check out my blog for frequent contests, too. Thanks for having me!

Thanks for answering my interview questions!

Now…do you want to win a shiny new copy of BLUE DIABLO? Then leave a comment for Ann.  (You must provide a valid email address to be eligible.)  Tell Ann what you think of urban fantasy stories. Ask her questions about BLUE DIABLO–ask those questions that you are burning to ask!  A commenter will be randomly selected After 10 a.m. (Eastern time) on Thursday, April 8.  Good luck!

Some links: