Welcome
to BK Walker Books Etc.
I'm so happy you could join me today at my
‘home office’ – really it’s a little piece carved out of
barn. There’s light and heat, but not much else. And everyone
once and awhile there’s some odd rustling –but the kids can’t
get in.
BK:
Please tell us a little about yourself...
I live in New Jersey, in a
surprisingly country-like part of the state. I used to live in New
York City and now I get nervous because there are too many people and
too much traffic when I have to go to the mall. I have three young
kids and a husband, and in a former life I used to be an IT
(information technology) consultant, but I spent all my time in
meetings daydreaming about stories.
BK:
Please tell us a little about your book....
Rough Harbor is
about love lost and regained. High school sweethearts Noah and
Caitlyn parted on bad terms and find themselves thrown together when
Noah returns to town to take over the family company. There’s a
wrinkle – Caitlyn wants the company too, and now they have to
decide what’s more important – business or romance.
BK:
What inspired you to pen this particular novel?
I married my high
school sweetheart, but I know many people who didn’t. Still
there’s always that feeling of “what might have been” about the
one that got away. Or maybe you’re glad they got away…And
nothing quite compares to your first love, especially when both
characters have had time to grow apart into different people. Are you
still compatible? Or do you just need to figure out the answer to
that question – was he/she the one?
BK:
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I always wanted to be
a writer pretty much from the get go. I used to write in journals –
most of which I still have, but I am afraid to read them, too much
teenage angst. UGH. And then I got my first word processor (not a
computer) but a word processor, and I started to bang out a story
inspired by Out of Africa…. And then I felt that I needed to
do something ‘real’ with my life so I focused on getting a real
job and writing took a back seat. Along the way I got married, had
three kids, and then I realized I’m not getting any younger, so
about four years ago - I got serious about writing. I started to sit
and do it on a consistent basis. And that’s when the books started
coming.
BK:
How do you keep your story flowing?
Frying pan into the fire –
romance isn’t necessarily an adventure story where you need
constant action, but pretty much if you stop and think about the
worst thing that could happen – even if it’s a phone call
interrupting the first kiss, then that creates tension and
excitement. Basically, just remember “the course of true love never
did run smooth…”
BK:
Do you ever run into writer's block, and if so, what do you do to get
past it?
It’s not so much writer’s block as it is distraction. I
rarely run out of things to write, but I do have trouble focusing and
carving out time to write – with three young kids and a husband,
there are a lot of things nipping away at my time –from email, to
school notes to write, to troubled sleep that all cut into productive
writing time.
BK:
What is your writing process like? Do you have any quirks, or
must-haves to write?
I am definitely a person who writes on a
computer. My handwriting is terrible and trying to write long hand
is mostly useless – I cannot not read what I write, so I write on a
computer. And music helps – I’m tone deaf, so I don’t really
care what it is so much as it just kind of creates a white noise
barrier to the outside world.
BK:
Where do you hope your books/writing will be in the future?
I would
like to myself with a study backlist of books. And as my kids get
older, I envision my writing process and time to be more like a
daytime job – as opposed to early in the morning or late at night –
because I’m unfortunately not a morning person or a night owl.
BK:
What do you hope readers will take away from your books?
That every
love story is special. It doesn’t always take a ravishingly
handsome bazillonaire to whisk us a away – and that there’s a
place in romance for strong, career minded women
BK:
What is one piece of advice you received that you carry with you in
your writing?
Bum glue. You can dream stories, and think about
characters but unless you sit in a chair day after day and type or
put pen to paper you’re not going to have much more than a head
full of talking characters.
BK:
What is one piece of advice you would give to new and aspiring
writers?
Use an outline.
BK: Wow. I think that's the first time I've been given that piece of advice. I like it. Are you currently working on any new projects?
What can we expect
from you in the future? I am working on another romance, Ivy Cottage,
also set in Queensbay, featuring a new couple – Chase and Phoebe
whose grandparents once had a torrid affair and very public . Phoebe
inherits the Ivy Cottage, location of said affair and Chase wants to
buy it. They find themselves attracted to each other, but wonder if
their recreating their grandparents “Affair of the Century” or if
it’s true love.
BK:
Where can readers find you?
Www.andreasteinbooks.com
is the best place to find me and on twitter:
Twitter.com/andreasteinbook
Thank
you so much for taking time to chat with me today. It's been a
pleasure having you and I wish you much success in the future.
THANKS
About The Author:
Hi, I’,
Andrea Stein an author, mother, wife and blogger and a certified
mom-chauffeur. I have been scribbling stories for as long as I can
remember, including my first adventure story, inspired by an
obsession with Out of Africa (book, movie and biography) about a
young girl stranded in Kenya. It was serial fiction handwritten,
given to my sister, who couldn’t read my handwriting. That story
dies after one installment, but the next year I got a word processor
(not a computer, but an ACTUAL WORD PROCESSOR) that showed about
twenty lines of text at a time. This was before laptops were widely
available and this allowed me to be able to type to my heart’s
content in the privacy of my own room. Which I did. I think I spent
the time writing stories about my “frenemies” to amuse myself. I
also listened to a lot of the Cure and New Wave music. I have since
moved on to a happier place.
Even
though I read lots of different types of books, I write romance
novels with a twist. More like contemporary romance than romantic
suspense (I don’t write about serial killers or FBI agents) but I
usually like to include a puzzle or mystery for my hero and heroine
to solve.
Rough
Harbor is my second novel, set in a small New England town. Coming
soon is Ivy Cottage, also set in a small New England town on a river.
Other
than writing I spend most of my time reading, watching TV, cooking,
cleaning, taking care of kids, trying to keep the house clean and
folding laundry. I love Twizzlers, chocolate and shows on the WB. For
me, reading has always been an escape, a way to escape the ordinary
and dive into a world that feels real – but with all of the
‘boring’ parts edited out.
As for
the rest of my life, I grew up on Long Island, spent a lot of
vacations in small New England towns, went to college in New York
City, married by high school sweetheart, worked, had kids, stopped
working, and kept on writing. Now I live in rural New Jersey (yes,
there is such a thing), and though I don’t own any horses, I do
have a barn, which I share with squirrels.
There’s
something successful writers always tell new writers about their
secret to success. Just do it…Bum Glue…write 1ooo words a
day…write for two hours a day….Keep writing. And they’re right.
I got more successful with my writing when I started to do it
consistently. I don’t write every day, but I shoot for five days a
week. This means that the words and pages pile up — and I have
stories to shape, make and mold…and share.
I hope
you enjoy my books, currently available at www.amazon.com
Links –
Website:
BLURB:
After
a bitter break up and professional set back in London, twenty seven
year old Caitlyn has returned to Queensbay to work for Maxwell
Randall, an old family friend, at his financial management firm. So
far, bit by bit, Caitlyn’s been rebuilding all she lost after
Michael St. John broke her heart …and tried to ruin her
professional reputation.
But her
past comes back to haunt her when Maxwell unexpectedly turns up dead.
Not only does Caitlyn find her career in jeopardy but her heart is
too, when Noah Randall, Maxwell’s son, and her first love, returns
to Queensbay. Once, ten years ago, Caitlyn was sure Noah was the one
for her…but the tragedy of her grandfather’s suicide and Noah’s
decision to leave town left her bereft…and determined never to
trust him again.
Over the
past decade, she’s managed to do her best to forget about Noah
Randall and the lingering questions surrounding her grandfather’s
suicide. But now that’s he back in town – rich and more handsome
than ever, and she can’t help wondering what if? What if Noah
really was the one?
Noah
Randall left home ten years ago to seek his fortune – vowing never
to return until he’d made a success of himself – and show Caitlyn
Montgomery just what she’d given up. He returns to find that
Caitlyn Montgomery has only grown more alluring with time. Noah’s
always wanted he couldn’t have…and now he wants Caitlyn again.
But she’s determined not to make the same mistake twice.
While
Noah and Caitlyn are revisiting old ground – and forging a new
relationship, there’s trouble brewing in Queensbay. Old secrets
and new lead Caitlyn to believe that perhaps her grandfather didn’t
kill himself – and that Maxwell’s death was no accident. But
just how far will someone go to keep her – and Noah – from
finding out the truth…and will Queesbay prove to have troubled
waters after all?
Excerpt
Two:
Noah
leaned in closer, his lips hovering above hers, his arms moving
around her, pulling her closer to him, so he could feel his body next
to hers, feel the swell of her breasts, see every freckle on her
nose.
“I
have people for that,” he murmured, letting his lips feather across
her. Her eyes opened wide, and he knew that she was feeling, that he
had gotten to her.
“Noah…”
It was more of a moan than a whisper.
“Shh,
I know you’re not after my money. Just shut up and let me…”
Kiss
you. And he did, their lips touching. Softly at first, so he could
taste her, smell her perfume, something spicy, and her shampoo,
something fruity. She moved in his arms – not away, but closer –
and he took that for an invitation, an invitation that his attentions
were wanted.
He
deepened his kiss, letting his tongue explore, letting his hands
slide from her shoulders down to the V of her neck, skimming lightly
over her breasts, feeling the fabric of her bra, then the hard nub of
her nipples which sprang to attention under his caress.
She
moaned, answering his kiss, her hands running through his hair,
pulling him towards her as their embrace deepened, grew more
passionate, his hands roaming feeling, possessing her.
Until.
“Stop, Noah, stop.” She broke free, her head moving away from
him, her hands still twined in his hair. She lowered her eyes and
leaned against his shoulders.
“What,
what is it?” His voice was husky, raspy, and he could feel desire,
the sheer wanting of her flowing through him, all the way through it.
She felt it, too, and took a step back.
“Noah,
you’re the boss. And we barely know each other. I mean now. I just
can’t get involved right now.”
Giveaway:
Andrea is awarding a $50 Gift Card to winners choice of Starbucks, Amazon, or Walmart. Winner will be randomly drawn from this tour.
