It’s Wednesday, so that means it’s time for another fabulous (cause they’re fabulous right,  right?) author interview here at the blog.

Today’s author is Edie Ramer–and Edie is fabulous. She recently made it to the third round of the American Title V Contest with her book, DEAD PEOPLE.  Way to go, Edie!

Now, on to the interview…

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

Cynthia, thanks so much for having me here today!

I live in southeastern Wisconsin with my handsome husband, my beautiful cat and my loveable dog.  None of us has any faults.  Can you believe that?

I write light paranormal and women’s fiction.  Though the genres are different, my characters in both are damaged and quirky.  In my wip, my heroine and her family are aliens.  Not illegal, but extraterrestrial.  When I’m not bleeding out words, it’s a fun book to write.  Aliens get to do things that earth people can’t do.

(I’d love to tell you what some of those things are, but they have blaster guns and would make me suffer.)

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

A ghost whisperer thinks men are hard and DEAD PEOPLE are easy.

3.    That was a great description, Edie!  Great!

And now, feel free to use as many words as you’d like to describe your story.

I could get in trouble here.  That’s like saying “Take as many cashews as you want.”  Lucky for anyone reading this, the current round of the American Title V contest is our story summaries.  My longer summary is on the Romantic Time contest page, so here’s my shorter paragraph:

When Cassie Taylor talks, ghosts listen.  She wants to heal their souls so they can leave earth.  Brooding songwriter Luke Rivers wants to give his newly found daughter a normal home, but he discovers his new house in small town Wisconsin is haunted by a ghost with an attitude.  His ghost whisperer has an attitude too–even before someone tries to kill her.  So why does he have the hots for her?  And why does she lust after him?  He wants conventional.  She wants acceptance.  No wonder she thinks men are hard and DEAD PEOPLE are easy.

4.    Which character do you like more from DEAD PEOPLE—the hero or the heroine?  Why?

You ask tough questions!  Luke is a sexy, brooding songwriter who is trying to do the right thing by his newly discovered eleven-year old daughter –  even if she hates him for it.   How could I not love a man like this?

But I’ll pick Cassie, because she’s more proactive and has more at stake.  She’s trying to get the ghost out of Luke’s house before she does something stupid like falling for him and his sad daughter.  And Cassie is the only one who knows that the ghost was murdered.  The ghost doesn’t even know it.  Then there’s Cassie’s hunky best friend who used to be a police detective before he was killed – fifty years ago.

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

The most challenging part is selling.  Other than that, I challenge myself to write each book better than the last.  I’m not satisfied with writing an okay book.  I want to write a fabulous book.  I want it to resonate inside me.  I want to feel that excitement when you know it’s good.  It doesn’t always happen, so I challenge myself to make it happen.

6.    In a fight, who would win…Dracula or the wolf-man?

I’m so thorough (anal), I looked this up.  Benicio del Toro is playing Wolfman in the 2009 movie.  He’s hot.  He’s brooding.  (Like Luke in DEAD PEOPLE. 😆 )  I’ll pick him over Dracula any day.

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

Marley and Me.  (I know it’s not billed as a scary movie.  But if you saw the ending …)

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

I wish I’d known about RWA when I first started to write.  Romance writers rock!   Romance writers are the most supportive, sharing and caring group I’ve ever met.  Through RWA I’ve met my CPs, which led to the Magical Musings blog and many of my cyber friends.  From different loops and blogs, I find out the latest publishing news.  Like the American Title V contest.  And writing classes, including Margie Lawson’s.

Without RWA and all the interconnections, I wouldn’t know you, Cynthia.  Though I’d probably be reading your books and wishing I knew you. 😀

9.    What is your writing schedule like?

People have schedules?  😯  I’m not structured.  My goal this year is to get structure in my life.  To write at least five pages in the morning before I check my email and blogs.  Only then will I reward myself with the Internet.

As it is, I check my emails and internet and then open my wip file.  So I end up writing on and off all day, checking emails in between.  My goal is to have a normal working day.  Writing is my job and I need to treat it like one.

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

I love writing.  I love it when my voice melds with the voice of my character and I’m in the flow.  I love it when I read something I wrote and I know it’s good.  I imagine it’s the same thing an artist feels when she looks at a painting or sculpture she did and she knows in her heart that it’s beautiful.

And I love revising.  I can’t always write in the flow, but during revisions I can put something good – something special – in every page.  And if something bugs me, no matter how small, I listen to that niggle in my mind.  I fix it.  I want to make the ms. shine from every angle:  writing, characters and plotting.  I want magic to happen.

Thanks for answering my interview questions!

***

If you’d like to vote for Edie’s story,  DEAD PEOPLE, in the American Title V Contest,  just send a blank email with the subject of “Dead People” to votes@romantictimes.com.

Raising my head up from copy-edits (these should be finished tomorrow–yay!) because my friend Amber Leigh Williams has tagged me. And I really like this tag.  🙂  I get to list 6 things that make me happy. So here they are:

6. Today is Inauguration Day!  I am so ready for change–I’ve got a sign that says that very thing in my house.  Very excited about this.  I’m going to make my son watch the inauguration with me. Sure, he probably won’t really understand what’s happening (seeing as how he is only 3), but no way is he missing this!

5.  Edie Ramer has advanced to the third round of the American Title contest. Awesome news, Edie!!  Check our her blog for more details. (And don’t forget to vote for her!  To vote, just send a blank email with the subject of DEAD PEOPLE to votes@romantictimes.com.)

4. I just bought Supernatural, Season 3, and those Winchester boys make me happy.

3. Did I mention I was almost finished with copy-edits for MIDNIGHT’S MASTER?  So happy over that fact.

2. I’m going to eat chocolate today. Yes, I am.

1. My son and I are going to bake cookies.  He’ll scoop them out, I’ll eat the raw cookie dough. Ah, doesn’t get better than that!

Now, if you just read my list, consider yourself tagged. Feel free to respond in the comments or own your blog/MySpace/computer home.

Wow–another weekend gone. That means it’s time for a Booking It post, and, today, I’m just focusing on one author.

Tell me, have you read Kresley Cole?  If you haven’t, you really, really should.

The first book that I read by Kresley was A HUNGER LIKE NO OTHER. This story introduced me to her Immortals After Dark series. What a series!  These are dark, edgy paranormals.  Complex plots. Gripping characters. Ah, the stories that keep you up at night. (They keep me up!)

This week, the latest installment, KISS OF A DEMON KING, hits shelves.  Here’s the blurb:

After Sabine, the Queen of Illusions, lures and traps Rydstrom Woede in her lair, the ruthless warrior fights to resist her seduction.But his fierce demon nature lusts for her delicate body and won’t be denied. Even as Rydstrom plots to escape, he still intends to claim Sabine as his own—on his terms.

Her downfall: the battle-scarred demon who vows to keep her at all costs.

When Rydstrom breaks free, her abducts Sabine, turning the tables. Now she’s the one struggling to resist his delicious torment. With each relentless encounter, Sabine hungers more for her merciless adversary.

They were never supposed to want each other this much…

If they can defeat the sinister enemy that stands between them, will Sabine make the ultimate sacrifice to save her demon? Or will the proud king lay down his crown and arms to keep his sorceress?

***

Come on…that just sounds good!  And here’s the cover:

Yeah, I’m buying this one as soon as possible–and probably reading it all in one sitting.

And what’s on your reading agenda this week?

First up, let me announce the winner of Anya Bast‘s WITCH HEART. Commenter number 7 was selected and–Edie, that’s you!!! Congrats! Please email me to claim your fabulous prize! More interviews (and prizes) will be coming, so stay tuned. And thanks to everyone who commented yesterday!

I’m keeping real busy right now–I just got a Facebook page (friend me!). Okay, actually, I had the page for a while, but I just actually filled it out and am now Facebook ready.  🙂

I’m also working on copy-edits for MIDNIGHT’S MASTER. (After the copy-edits, the ARCs won’t be far away!)

The nice Fed-Ex man just brought me a very large box of bookmarks for IMMORTAL DANGER. These are,  by far, the best-looking bookmarks I’ve had made. Want one?  (Or a few?) Just shoot me an email at info@cynthiaeden.com with your mailing address and I’ll send some to you. I’m going to have a couple of busy nights as I sort these babies into stacks and send them out to booksellers and book clubs.  Ah, sorting fun.

Hmmm…other updates? Well, Supernatural is on tonight. And that is always a good thing.

What’s on your agenda?

Today, I  am very excited to post an interview that features Anya Bast. Anya Bast is one fantastic writer (and an all-around great lady). Her newest release, WITCH HEART, just hit bookstore shelves, and if you haven’t read her books, well, you are missing out! (And if you want to win one of her books, specifically the very action packed WITCH HEART, then be sure to leave a comment for Anya!)

And now, to the interview!

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

My name is Anya Bast. I write erotic and paranormal romance for a host of publishers, including Berkley and Harlequin Spice. I’ve been happily married to a Belgian man for thirteen years (which is also my favorite number…thirteen, I mean). We have one child, an energetic toddler who keeps us both on our toes.

I love red wine and shopping in consignment stores. I love loud music (no ballads, please), but am a pretty quiet person. I prefer the country to the city and adore animals of all kinds. We are owned by eight cats, a dog and one rabbit, most of them rescues. My family lives a big, messy life full of animal hair, purring, and joy. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

My latest release is Witch Heart, third in the Elemental Witches series.

2. Describe WITCH HEART in 15 words or less.

Oo. You’re a tough interviewer. Let’s see….

Former handmaiden to head demon seeks strong and virile fire witch to avert certain death.

3. LOL—I love that description! Sounds like one wild personal ad. 🙂 Okay, now use as many words as you’d like to describe your story.

I’ll do one better and post the blurb…

With the immense powers of an earth witch, Claire isn’t destined to be a demon’s handmaiden. Yet this has been her fate since she was six, when her warlock mother brought her to Eudae. Now as an adult, she’s about to discover her true power—and how far others are willing to go to take it away…

As part of a mission with the Coven, Adam Tyrell rescues Claire from her enslavement—and finds himself immediately taken with the beautiful witch. But this charming playboy soon learns that it’s easier to steal Claire from demons than win her heart, for her life as a servant has ravaged her spirit. But with Adam determined to protect her from those who want to harness her magick for evil, Claire’s resistance starts to give way—and they find themselves in the heat of danger, surrendering to the lure of their deepest desires…

4. Which character do you like better from your current (or upcoming) release—the hero or the heroine? Why?

Well, right now I’m writing the first book in my new series. I love both main characters, but I’m having an especially large amount of fun with the hero. Essentially he’s the Grim Reaper of the Fae. He’s also part incubus and is used to having women simply swoon at his feet. As a result he’s got a sizable ego and lots of confidence with women…a little too much, perhaps.

Don’t worry, the heroine is cutting him down to size. *g*

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

For me it’s book releases. They give me a huge amount of anxiety. I worry how the book will be received, the reviews it will get, how many I’ll sell. It’s something I’m getting better at. I’m having less anxiety with every release I get under my belt, but they’re still amazingly stressful times (with much sweetness and excitement too!).

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.

Wolf-man. I’ve been terrified of werewolves since I was a child. They rip people’s heads off and bury them in the forest. He could totally take Dracula, even with Drac’s otherworldly mind control powers.

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

Wrong Turn!! (EEEK! *hides face*)

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

I wish I’d understood the amount of marketing and promotion I’d have to do. That never really occurred to me beforehand. There’s this business end of things that’s paired with the creative, and I’m much better at the creative.

9. What is your writing schedule like?

I get up early and write before my toddler awakens and my house takes on certain tornadic qualities. I write during her nap and when she goes to bed. Basically, I write whenever my daughter is sleeping.

On Saturdays or Sundays my husband watches the child and I hie myself to the coffee shop to get in some power writing. Sometimes my mother watches her too.

It’s amazing that I get anything done, yet I seem to manage.

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

Thank you so much for interviewing me, Cynthia!

If anyone wants to read excerpts or contact me directly, just go to my web site – http://www.anyabast.com

Thank you, Anya!!

Now, would you like to win a copy of WITCH HEART? (Who wouldn’t? This book is AWESOME!) Then just leave a comment for Anya.  A winner will be announced on Thursday. I’ll combine any comments from this blog and MySpace and one overall winner will be selected.