Interview: KAT MARTIN! Author of BEYOND DANGER

Today we have a Q&A with author Kat Martin! Be sure to check out the book info and buy links under the interview!

Your perfect writing conditions - do you like complete quiet, music playing, etc?I’m a complete quiet person.  I want to be completely in the scene I’m writing.  Distractions make that harder to do. 

What are you reading right now?Just finished the new Jack Reacher novel.  Currently reading Cynthia Eden’s Shattered.

 Do you have writing goals (so many words per day/per week), or do you just write whenever inspiration strikes?

I try to write 100 finished pages a month.  A book in five months, a month to review, rewrite or make changes.  I am usually on schedule as much as possible.  If you want to meet your deadlines, you can’t just write “when inspiration strikes.”

 If you could spend time with one of your characters from this book, who would it be?

Definitely Beau Reese!  Love to go for a ride with him in his amazing Lamborghini.  But Cassidy, a lady detective, would be great fun to talk to.  Maybe get some new plot ideas…

 Any upcoming plans for new books?

Up next for me is Beyond Control.  That’s the final book in my Texas Trilogy, Josh Cain’s story.  Josh is Lincoln Cain’s brother from Beyond Reason.  Josh is former military, a guy who wants to make his Texas ranch a success and find some peace and quiet.   Unfortunately, when Victoria Bradford shows up with her four year old daughter trouble is what he finds instead.

 What do you love the most about the writing/publishing process? 

One of the best parts is going through the book after you have reached The End.  That’s when you get to look at the novel as a reader instead of a writer and enjoy all your hard work.  And hopefully discover you like it!

 What do you dislike the most about the writing/publishing process?

I don’t like writing backstory.  I am a go-forward person.  I like to see/figure out what’s going to happen next.  I hate the copyediting portion of the process.  I always feel I have made the book the very best I could make it.  I don’t much like changing it after I am finished.

Beyond Danger is Beau’s story.  Mega-rich, black-haired, and blue-eyed, Beau is gorgeous to look at, and flashy.  He was an amateur race car driver, sort of a Texas Paul Newman, before he left the racing circuit.  Beau loves fast cars and fast women.  

   He is also wanted for murder. 

   That’s where private investigator, Cassidy Jones, comes in.  She’s smart and she’s no pushover, exactly the woman for Beau.  Best of all, she’s determined to prove his innocence.  

RT BOOK REVIEWS

BEYOND DANGER by Kat Martin

“Kat Martin’s Texas Trilogy returns with a gripping new romantic suspense novel featuring Beau Reese and Cassidy Jones. This dynamic duo embarks on a fascinating journey to solve a high-profile crime in Texas. Cutting edge and incredibly thrilling, Martin once again proves she’s a romantic suspense mastermind! Book two, BEYOND DANGER, is compelling with unexpected twists. Long-time fans of Kat Martin will not be disappointed!”- RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars

New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin brings page-turning suspense to a tale of secrets and passions turned deadly . . .
 
Texas mogul Beau Reese is furious. All six feet three obscenely wealthy, good-looking inches of him. His sixty-year-old father, Stewart, a former state senator no less, has impregnated a teenager. Barely able to contain his anger, Beau is in for another surprise. It appears that Stewart has moved an entirely different woman into the house . . .
 
Beau assumes that stunning Cassidy Jones is his father’s mistress. At least she’s of age. But those concerns take a sudden backseat when he finds Stewart in a pool of blood on the floor of his study—and Cassidy walks in to find Beau with his hand on the murder weapon.
 
The shocks just keep coming. Someone was following Stewart, and Cassidy is the detective hired to find out who and why. Now she’ll have to find his killer instead. Her gut tells her it wasn’t Beau. And Beau’s instincts tell him it wasn’t Cassidy. Determined to track down the truth, they form an uneasy alliance—one that will bring them closer to each other—closer to danger and beyond . . .

LINKS

Website

Video

Contest

BUY IT TODAY!

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

IndieBound

Kobo

Google Play

iTunes

FIND KAT ONLINE:

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Interview: KAT MARTIN author of BEYOND REASON!

Today I get the pleasure of interviewing author Kat Martin. Kat is talking about her newest release, Beyond Reason, which you can find more about below - and be sure to check out all the great social media and buy links!

Q&A – BEYOND REASON

How long does it take you to write each book?

It takes me a full six months to write a novel.  Even if I finish in five, I have to go back and rewrite and polish. 

Where do you get the inspiration for your books?

I find story ideas everywhere.  TV shows, books, movies, newspapers.  Traveling is great, stories other people tell you.  You just need a kernel of an idea and they you are off and running. 

Did you learn anything new/cool when writing your newest release?

I learned a lot about the trucking industry.  I went to a truck driving school and the guys gave me a lesson.  One of my favorite scenes in the book is actual story one of the drivers told me. 

What is one book that changed your life, and how?

My first book, Magnificent Passage, was life changing.  Once I started writing it, I couldn’t stop.  I became completely compulsive.  I knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.  I felt as if I had finally found my calling.

Are there any people you know in real life that are just like your characters? Did you base any characters on people you know?

I think character traits pop up from people I know.  I’ve never met anyone like Lincoln Cain nor do I think I ever will.   But being observant of people definitely helps in writing a novel.

What is the most challenging part of the writing process for you?

Description is really hard for me, which is one of the reasons I don’t write a lot of it.  I like writing sex scenes but it can be challenging to keep them unique and important to the story line. 

Which character in your book would you get along with the best? Which the least?

I would definitely get along with Linc from a male-female perspective.  The guy is a flat-out hunk.  No idea why, but heroes are easier for me to write generally than heroines.

When writing, do you like music or silence?

Total silence for me.  I like to be completely immersed in the scenes of the novel.

How important are covers to you as an author? What about as a reader?

A good cover is crucial.  It can make or break the success of a book.  Unfortunately, bad cover get out there and its hard to get publishers to change them.    As a reader, I tend to read by author or review so I will pick up a book with a bad cover.

What would your main character have to say about you as a person?

I have no idea.   I don’t think he or she would give a fat rat’s ass about me as an author.  I think they would be busy living their lives.  Authors are pretty much invisible, and should be.

Social media contact information.

Personal web page: http://www.katmartin.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/katmartinauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KatMartinAuthor

Hope you will all watch for Beyond Reason and that you enjoy!  Kat

She’s determined to be successful--no matter

who tries to stop her

Someone is willing to kill for control of Drake Trucking, a well-respected firm now run by a woman named Carly Drake.  Big money is involved.  And very big danger.

Multi-millionaire Lincoln Cain is determined to keep the promise he made her grandfather, the man who helped him change his life after he got out of prison.  Cain has vowed to protect Carly, no matter what it takes.

Unfortunately, the only way to keep her safe is to keep her close--and fight like crazy.

BEYOND REASON

 Visit Kat's website!
 http://www.katmartin.com/

Check out the book video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7eAZvxU-VM

SPECIAL CONTEST: http://www.katmartin.com/beyond-reason-giveaway/

To CELEBRATE the release of BEYOND REASON, enter my new contest for a chance to win a KINDLE FIRE 7" Display, Wi-Fi, 8 GB and a Kindle copy of AGAINST THE WILD, AGAINST THE SKY and AGAINST THE TIDE. Contest runs from May 1, 2017 through June 30, 2017.

May Contest: http://www.katmartin.com/monthly-contest/

For May, Kat Martin is giving away to FIVE winners an audio edition of one of her AGAINST series books, plus a copy of INTO THE FIRESTORM.

Get your copy of Beyond Reason!
Amazon

Barnes & Noble

IndieBound

Goodreads

Find Kat online!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/katmartinauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KatMartinAuthor

Bestselling author Kat Martin is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara where she majored in Anthropology and also studied History. Currently residing with her Western-author husband, L. J. Martin, in Missoula, Montana, Kat has written sixty eight Historical and Contemporary Romantic Suspense novels.  More than sixteen million copies of her books are in print and she has been published in twenty foreign countries. Her last novel, INTO THE FIRESTORM, took the #7 spot on the New York Times Bestseller list.  This will be the 15^th novel in a row to be included on that prestigious list.  Kat is currently at work on her next Romantic Suspense.

Huge thanks to Kat Martin for visiting! Be sure to check out Beyond Reason - Kat is a fantastic author as well as an awesome person. 

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

Q & A with Lori Foster, and GIVEAWAY!!

**********GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED, THANK YOU! ***********************

A Q&A WITH LORI FOSTER…
When You Dare, May 2011 (Now on sale!) Trace of Fever, June 2011 ● Savor the Danger, July 2011


Much of WHEN YOU DARE is set in Kentucky. What part? Why this setting? Does the area have special meaning for you? For your family?

I rarely specify a “real” area when writing books, because I find that too limiting. However, when I set stories in Kentucky, I’m usually thinking of Williamstown because that’s where I spent most of my summers growing up. Being on the lake, boating, skiing, swimming, sunning myself and just plain having a great time, are some of my best memories. My parents had a fishing cabin there—one bedroom, small but open space for eating and sitting—and I loved it. No air conditioning, no heat, but who cared? I learned to ski when I was six, and our routine was to put on our jammies for bed, and in the morning we changed back into bathing suits. Not much else was needed.

Being on a lake makes everything better—especially coffee in the morning. You stand on the deck and watch the fog rise off the lake, and peace just settles around you. It’s perfect.

Where have you lived? How long?

I’ve lived in Ohio all my life. My husband and I grew up here, went to school here, got jobs here, and now we’ve raised our sons here. Actually, though hubby and I didn’t meet until the 3rd day of our sophomore year of high school, we always lived near each other. I love Ohio, especially the suburbs with the small town vibe. I can’t imagine ever moving away from my family. We’re all pretty close—and I like it that way!

Did you enjoy school?

I was not a great student. That is, I got good grades, but never, ever enjoyed school. As an energetic daydreamer, it was an almost painful thing to have to sit still during class. When I hit high school and could pick most of my own classes, I had several writing courses like horror fiction, humor literature, and composition. And I went nuts on art class. Every study hall or free period was spent in the art room. I had an amazing art teacher– a wonderful artist and an eclectic teacher, which was perfect for me.
Have you had other jobs in addition to your writing?

I’ve worked as a cashier at Kroger where one of my jobs was also to clean the break room and bring in carts from the lot—through rain and snow and blistering heat. I worked on an assembly line at Procter & Gamble. I’ve also been a babysitter and house cleaner. In comparison, writing is a dream come true! Sure it’s difficult at times, and it really soaks up the hours, but always, with past jobs as a comparison, I feel so blessed to be able to do what I love, to share it with others, and to be compensated too!

Motherhood—you were able to stay home with your children. How important was it to be able to do that?

I’m one of those women who would have gone stark raving mad if I’d had to turn my kids over to someone else. I’m the supreme mother hen and a world-class worrier. When I think of what other mothers have gone through—many who didn’t have the same opportunity to stay home with their children—it breaks my heart and again, makes me feel so fortunate and blessed. When the kids were younger—before I’d ever published—my husband and I lived on a very tight budget to make it possible for me to be home, but I’ve never regretted that.

Do you ever “steal” attributes from your boys or your husband and give them to your characters? What, if anything, have your learned from living in a houseful of men that has helped you develop your male protagonists?

My kids are hilarious—they get that from their dad. They’re also very physical guys, athletic and protective and outspoken. Alphas for sure. So yes, I’ve often stolen lines, actions, or attitudes from them to use in books.

Living with all guys...well, our house drips testosterone, but it’s so fun! They’re forever amusing, and give me the perfect opportunity to witness “guyness” and to appreciate male traits for how they differ from mine.

The family you grew up with—do you have brothers, sisters? If so, are you close? Do they live nearby?

I have an assorted family—which maybe helps explain the less-typical families I write about. I have a sister, step-sister, and a half brother, but none of us thinks in those terms. My stepfather—who passed away recently—was my Dad in every sense of the word. I miss him terribly.

Hubby and I are all about keeping family together and close, so most of the family gatherings happen at our house. We get both sides of the family together as often as we can, which is usually four or five times a year. Depending on nieces and nephews, who has a date and who doesn’t, we can get upwards of 60 people at a time. And we love it! You can never have too much family.

What attributes do you share with Dare and Molly? Of course, Molly is a successful writer, so you have that in common. Anything else?

Molly actually came about because of some reader mail I’d gotten—threatening me. I know readers get very invested in stories, and I’m thrilled that they care so much. Occasionally they write me with their frustrations over something that didn’t go quite how they wanted it to, or because they want a character to have a book, but I don’t have a book for that character. That’s fine—I enjoy hearing from them. But threats? Well, I’ve had a few that crossed the line. That’s not the typical reader, and it can be worrisome.

After one particular threat, the idea for Molly and the elements of the storyline dealing with one of her readers as a suspect took shape in my mind.

I love hearing from readers, whether they liked a book or not. But, just like Molly, I think my privacy is important, too.

How did the first Reader & Author Get Together come about?

Dianne Castell and I wanted to do a “thank you” to the community of readers and writers, and we envisioned it as being very small. We thought if we got a dozen people, we’d be happy—but our first year, we got around 100 attendees.

From there, it’s grown like crazy! We love to visit with other readers and authors, and we know they enjoy it too, so we’ve worked hard to keep the laid-back, easy atmosphere of the event so that lots of chit chat is possible, while at the same time doing something really worthwhile—like donating our raffle money to great local charities and bringing in agents and editors so newer authors can pitch their work to them in person, and longtime readers can get questions answered.

By dipping into our own pockets, and thanks to donations from publishers and agencies, we’ve kept the price a very affordable $50. This year is our seventh Get Together here in the Cincinnati and Dayton metro area and it will benefit One Way Farm’s Children’s Home. Information is on my site and registration ends May 19th. If you’re reading this in time and want to attend, hurry! And Saturday’s big book signing is open to the public. Come by and see us! http://www.lorifoster.com/community/readergettogether.php

***************GIVEAWAY*********************

Want to win a copy of "When you Dare" by Lori Foster? See the rules and form below!!

RULES and GUIDELINES:
~ Fill out the form below to enter (comments are lovely but do not count as an entry!)
~ Contest ENDS THURSDAY May 5/26 at 11:59 PM EST. Winner announced Friday morning, 5/27.
~ US and Canada only.
~ No P.O. Boxes (publisher rule, sorry!)
~ You must be at least 13 years old to enter.
~ Novel Addiction is not responsible for books lost in the mail, or publishers/authors failing to deliver prizes.



Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~