Happy January with KIMBERLY RAYE!!!!!!

Today my guest is bestselling author Kimberly Raye!

Bestselling author Kimberly Raye started her first novel in high school and has been writing ever since.  To date, she’s published more than fifty-eight novels, two of them prestigious RITA Award nominees.  She’s also been nominated by Romantic Times BOOK reviews for several Reviewer’s Choice awards, as well as a career achievement award.  Her books have been featured in numerous magazines, including Cosmo and Better Homes and Garden.  Most recently, her DEAD END DATING series for Ballantine Books was optioned by Disney for a television pilot.  Kim is currently writing steamy contemporary reads for Harlequin’s Blaze line.  She lives deep in the heart of the Texas Hill Country with her husband and their young children.  She’s an avid reader who loves Diet Dr. Pepper, Twitter, chocolate, and alpha males.  Kim also loves to hear from readers.  You can visit her online at www.kimberlyraye.com.

And now…Kimberly!

R: Hello, Kim and welcome. What drew you to the PARANORMAL genre? 

K: Thanks, ROCCO!  Well, I’ve always been a huge Stephen King fan.  I started reading him when I was only ten years old.  A short time after that, I discovered Janelle Taylor and fell in love with the romance genre.  Pair the two and it doesn’t get much better!

R: What writers in your genre would you say have made the greatest influence on your writing?

K:  For romance, it has to be Susan Johnson.  When I read BLAZE, it literally changed my life and made me desperately want to write romance.  Along the way, I also fell in love with Janet Evanovich and Maggie Shayne.  All very different writers, but they all contributed in their own way.  Janet Evanovich for the humor, Maggie Shayne for the heart-pounding paranormal elements, and Susan Johnson for the pure, intense romance that she brings to every book.  I love them all!

R: The Human and I are both huge fans of your “Dead End Dating” series. How did that come about?

K:  I love the Stephanie Plum series and I wanted to find a paranormal equivalent.  A character who was personable, funny, and someone you would want to be friends with.  I came up with Lil who is a vampire and a closet romantic.  Very contradictory terms, but it works for her because she’s like your BFF, but with fangs.

R:  is there any of you in the character of Lil?

K:   I, too, am a die-hard romantic.  I cry during Mastercard and SPCA  commercials and I have a secret stash of MAC cosmetics.  Lil, however, tends to be a little more kick-ass than yours truly.  Sure, my secret self kicks a little ass imagination wise, but in reality I’m a pretty tame football mom.

R: Tell us about the latest entry in that series, Here comes the Vampire!  Why did you decide to self-publish it?

K:  Readers kept asking for it!  I wanted desperately to publish it much earlier, but Random House still owned rights to it and legally, my hands were tied.  I’ve read a lot of messages posted by various readers who were upset with me because they felt I was withholding the book on purpose.  Not true.  I finally received the official letter releasing rights back to me in October 2013, and I self-published the book in a matter of weeks in November.  I know it’s hard for readers to understand some of the legalities of publishing, but I couldn’t legally put the book out until I had an actual release in hand.  I hope readers will understand and know that I did my best!

R: Which of (your character)  adventures was the most fun for you to write? Were any of them the least amount of fun?

K: I love writing Lil.  She will always be one of my most favorite characters to write.  I also loved writing Jess Damon, the lead character in THE DEVIL’S IN THE DETAILS, the first book in my new series for Montlake romance (Amazon).  Jess is a reformed succubus/wedding planner determined to find her own happily ever after.  Unfortunately, happiness isn’t all that easy to come by since her mother is the devil (no, really).  Both Lil and Jess are like my besties and it’s always fun to write a new adventure for them.

R:  Do you have an “how I got my agent” story you’d like to share?  How did you feel when you got the call your first novel had sold?

K:   I actually sold my first book before I got an agent.  I’ll never forget—I had submitted my book to Silhouette Shadows (it had won several local contests and drew the attention of one of the editors who was judging)  and had been waiting for months before The Call finally came.  It was Karen Taylor Richman telling me that she wanted to buy my book.  I was at work that day and let out a scream that brought the entire office running.  Definitely a happy moment!  The agent came later (around book six) and was much easier to get because I was already a published writer.

R: What’s a must have for you when you are writing? What aids the creative process?

K:Diet Coke, Diet Coke and more Diet Coke.  Seriously.  I can down a six pack in less than two hours when I’m working.   Maybe it’s the caffeine.  Maybe I’m just thirsty.  Either way, it works, and if it ain’t broke . . .

R: If you had access to a time machine, which historical moment would you travel to and why?

K: I would travel back to the era of the Salem Witch Trials.  Then again, I’d probably be someone they would burn at the stake so maybe I should stick to the old south during the Civil War.  I’ve always been a huge fan of historical romances set during this time period.

R: What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to know about you?

K:  I’m addicted to reality TV.  I’ve been an avid fan of everything from Jersey Shore and Teen Mom to Buckwild and Duck Dynasty, and while I can’t stand some of the characters, that’s part of the fun of watching.  It’s a love/hate thing.   That, and I LOVE Cupcake Wars.

R: What is the craziest thing you've ever done?

K:  Quitting my job to write full-time.  Writing is such a hard field to actually make a living in and you’d definitely have to be crazy to try.  At the same time, I’ve always been a glass is half full type of gal.  In other words, anything is possible so if you believe in yourself and your work, then stop fretting and take a chance!   

R: What do you hope readers will most take away from your writing?  K:That life and love should be fun.  I like injecting humor into my writing and I hope readers will chuckle a little and have a few laughs!

R: What are you working on at the moment / next?

K:  I’ve just finished up my next Jess Damon book, THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT, for Amazon’s Montlake Romance.  I also have a new Texas Outlaws trilogy out this month (January, February and March) with Harlequin Blaze.  It features a trio of hot, hunky cowboys desperately trying to outrun the legacy of their outlaw father.

R: Are you a plotter or a pantser?

K:  A little of both.

 R: What book is on your TBR shelf you can’t wait to get to?

K:  I just bought the new Jennifer Probst book.  Can’t wait to start it!

Just for Fun:

Night or Day?  Night.

Dog or Cat? (answer carefully)   Dog (I have a spoiled Red Heeler named Dakota and rabbits—I have two).

Beach or Pool?  Beach!

Steak or salad?  Steak

Favorite Drink?  Diet Coke

Favorite Book?  Susan Johnson’s BLAZE

Favorite TV Series?  Sons of Anarchy

Favorite Movie?  Madea’s Xmas (just saw this and laughed my a#$ off)

Favorite Actor:  Brad Pitt

Favorite Actress:  Jennifer Lawrence

Dirty Martini or Pina Colada?  Dirty Martini

Hawaii or Alaska? Hawaii

Finish this sentence:  If I could meet anyone in the world, past or present, it would be Brad Pitt (I know I’m shallow, but he’s SO hot)

If I had just one wish, it would be to end world hunger (I know it sounds uber pageant-like, but it’s true.  I hate to see suffering.)

If I could trade places with anyone in the world, it would be Angelina Jolie (what?  I told you he was hot!)

Folks, you can find Kimberly  on-line at www.kimberlyraye.com or friend her on Facebook (and no, there’s no page to Like—you can be her actual friend!)

Kim will be giving away three autographed copies of my new Montlake book THE DEVIL’S IN THE DETAILS featuring reformed succubus Jess Damon, and two autographed sets of my new Texas Outlaws trilogy .  So that’s FIVE giveaways in all, folks! To enter leave a comment below WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS and which book you prefer.  Contest closes midnight, Jan. 12.  For extra entries, you can:

·       Follow moi on Twitter @RoccoBlogger

·       Friend the Human, ToniLotempio, on FB

·       Friend Kimberly Raye on FB

·       Follow our blog

·       Tweet or FB about this giveaway (3 extra entries)

Be sure to mention all you do in your comment. Good luck!
Up Jan. 21: Annie Knox!