It's time to partay! Remember, leave your questions, comments, whatever in the comments section. Two commenters will each win a $10.00 amazon.com gift certificate at the end of the party (around 9 pm central time).
Ready? Let's go!
Update: I'm going to let this "party" go on overnight, so everyone can get comments in and get a chance to win the gift certificates. I'll check in frequently before bedtime to answer more questions and then I'll do the drawing in the morning.
29 comments:
hey Paula,
Congrats on the new book! I haven't read any of your books but I've herd great thing so I'll have to check 'em out -- can I get them at the library? (just kidding)
couple questions:
how long does it typically take you to write a book?
any input on the cover art?
Lessee--how long to write a book? It really depends on the book. If it comes to me quickly and my life isn't too crazy, I can finish a 260-300 page manuscript in about two months. But that's a best case scenario. I usually average 3 - 5 months once I start writing.
At Harlequin, we fill out "art fact sheets" that are supposed to give the cover artist some information about the book and the characters to use in creating the covers. But they seem to ignore them, in my experience. :) Maddox the hero of FORBIDDEN TOUCH, should look rather like Sawyer on Lost. As cute as the guy on the cover is, he's not a blond with shoulder-length hair.
hey paula! i'll be buying all of your books on my next trip to books-a-million. is this the third or fourth book? i need to know, lol.
also, how do you find the time to write and maintain a full time job as a graphic designer? and have you ever suffered from the dreaded "writer's block"? if so, what do you do to get unblocked?
looking forward to reading everything you write,
kathie
Thanks, Kathie! You can probably only find the current book, though. Most book stores don't hold onto Harlequin/Silhouette books more than a few weeks. However the second book, FORBIDDEN TEMPTATION, is still available at Amazon.com.
Finding time to write is a good question. I try to get into a schedule of writing a little bit daily. Sometimes during the week, while I'm working, I may schedule only 2 or 3 pages a day, and if the book is really clicking, I can often get that written during my lunch hour at work. Then I may schedule 6 - 8 pages a day for Saturday and Sunday when I'm not working.
I'm really lucky that I don't live alone, and my other housemates (my mom and my sister) don't work and have time to do the housework which frees me up to write.
I do get writer's block, and the only way to get past it is to just sit your butt down and write through it.
Hey Paula! I have so enjoyed your other books! I can't wait to read Forbidden Touch and will definately be ordering it!!If I win the gift certificate you better believe I will use it to buy this book!!
Elizabeth Conley
Oh, forgot to say, this is the third book. The fourth book, COWBOY ALIBI, comes out in September of this year.
Thanks, Elizabeth! I hope you enjoy it.
Hi, Paula!
Just wondering- how do you come up with the plots? Are they drawn from TV, ect or from your imagination?
By the way, I bought your first book and couldn't put it down. It was wonderful!
Jeanine
ok i have to get this new book...I looked but Wal Mart didn't have it yet, darn it!
Kathie...I have Forbidden Temptation if you want my copy I will mail it to ya!
Maddox the hero of FORBIDDEN TOUCH, should look rather like Sawyer on Lost. As cute as the guy on the cover is, he's not a blond with shoulder-length hair.
gotcha -- beside who doesn't love guys with shoulder-length, blond hair??? :)
Lisa! Don't be giving away my books! I only make money when people buy them new. :)
Where do I get my ideas, Jeanine? Honestly, from everywhere. Songs, fairy tales, news articles, blogs, you name it. Sometimes it's a character who appears first and I build a story around him or her. Sometimes a conflict comes to mind and I create characters who'll work well within that conflict.
thanks, paula! i'll buy this one at the store, order 'forbidden temptation' from amazon, and hit up friends and neighbors for the first book. and i'll pre-order the fourth book as soon as i can! i hear great things about your books. people missing planes and stuff because they get so into the plot.
yes, lisa! i'll pm you my addy!
Poor Hammie, missing her plane. That kinda made me feel bad--and good--at the same time.
i'll send you money, honey!
Congratulations Paula!
I'll ask 2, since I was late:
Do you have any favorite beverages/snacks or rituals that help you stick to the writing?
After you finish a book, do the characters still live in your mind?
All best wishes,
jsolo
Hey Paula.
Love the male lead in this one. Just started it but I like this guy. :).
Judy, I try not to eat when writing because it's distracting. As for rituals, I do usually create a "soundtrack" beforehand that I listen to in the car driving to and from work to get my head into the mood for the story. But that's about it.
Thanks, Brandy! I rather liked Maddox myself. :)
Congratulations on your successful launch of the Forbidden trilogy! You know Forbidden Touch is my favorite, because I adore Maddox so.
And here's a question I don't actually know the answer to-- who's your favorite character who hasn't made it into a book yet? I know you've got quite a few rattling 'round in there...
Paula - what do you like most about writing romantic suspense? AND Have you written any other type of book?
Congratulations, Paula!
Know you're a fellow Steve and Kayla fan and have been interested in sampling some of your writing for some time now. Think I'll start with your newest book and go from there.
Well, like I just told you, I have nothing constructive to ask of you this evening but I'm always a sucker for a chance at an Amazon certificate. . .
Jenn--a question about me you don't know the answer to???
Hmm. Favorite character who hasn't made it into a book yet? That could go two ways. If you're talking about a character that hasn't made it into a PUBLISHED book yet, I'd have to say Carly Sendano, the heroine of my unpublished book WILD CARD. She was just so vibrant and funny. And, as you well know, a Jersey girl. ;)
If you're talking about a character who hasn't actually made it into a completed book, that's a little harder! I think probably the hero of the book I'm about to start working on, the one very loosely based on Snape in Harry Potter. (You laugh now, but really, he's going to be super hot. Trust me).
Ellen, the first book I wrote was a sweet romantic comedy, targeted toward Silhouette Romance. It was pitiful. The next book I wrote was a romantic suspense. I love reading suspense, so writing it was definitely a natural way to go for me. Once I wrote the first romantic suspense, I never looked back.
SharonMarie, thanks for dropping by! I hope you enjoy the book.
Congratulations on the new book Paula. I got it today. I started it at lunch. I plan on getting a big start on it tomorrow since I have the day free. It looks to be another I won't be able to put down once I get started.
Thanks, Dawn! I hope you like this one, too. :)
Hi Paula,
I don't know if I am in time for the giveaway or not but I will have to hurry, so no time to anything else but say " Please enter me"
Thanks
Carol
You're entered, Carol. I'm about to do the drawing and I'll post it in a new blog post when I'm done.
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