Rosemary Indra

A Warm Welcome to Rosemary                     

Ever since her mom gave her a romance book when she was a teenager Rosemary has enjoyed happier-ever-after stories. She has been writing most of her adult life. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading and crafts.

She has two grown children and four adorable grandchildren. Her and her husband live in a small town in Oregon.

Everlasting Love

by Rosemary Indra 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB: 

When Miranda Cummins borrows a friend’s cabin to finish writing her long overdue book, she’s surprised to find the one-room retreat already occupied by Kevin Mathews. Though she feels a spontaneous attraction for Kevin, Miranda has recently escaped a controlling husband and isn’t ready for a long-term relationship.

Unsatisfied with his occupation, Kevin is at a crossroads. Miranda understands and encourages him to look at the direction his life is going. Fired up by her encouragement, Kevin returns to Forest Ridge to resume his firefighting career.

When Miranda is threatened by her ex-husband, Kevin realizes he will do anything to protect her. Miranda has shown Kevin a new passion for life. Can he fan the flames of passion into an Everlasting Love?

Before treating us to an excerpt, Rosemary Reveals:

From where do you get inspiration and what inspired you to write Everlasting Love?

Inspiration comes to me from a variety of ways; conversations, stories people tell me and things I see or articles I read. These ideas are written in a special notebook for later use.

A couple of ideas inspired me for Everlasting Love. I heard a young man comment that all his friends were married and having babies and he wasn’t going to stay long at the party because he was afraid it was contagious. A country sale inspired the opening scene for this book. I enjoy going to estate and yard sales. The rustic house had a bathtub on the deck and I knew this would be the opening scene of my book.
Who controls the story—you or your characters?

I use to hear other author’s say their characters wrote their books. At the time, I didn’t understand their comment. Now that I’ve written more I appreciate this statement. When I do a detail character outline the story writes itself and the characters are definitely in control. The characters are alive in my head, they talk to me and if I don’t listen they make me listen.

Describe the heroine’s character. How do you relate to her?

Miranda Cummins is a RN who recently divorced her abusive husband. In her spare time she’s a romance writer. Since her divorce she no longer believes in romance or Everlasting Love. I personally have not been through a divorce, I have been married to my husband for 32 years. I relate to Miranda because she writes romance books in her spare time. Her writing is a way to escape her everyday life when work at to hospital becomes to stressful. My writing helps me relax and brings a balance to my life.

What do you like best and least about writing?

For me writing is very similar to reading; it takes me away to different worlds and helps me relax. I have a need to be creative and writing fulfills this need and desire. Writing brings a peaceful balance to my life.

The main thing I don’t like about writing is I don’t allow myself enough time to write. I’ve found when I don’t write regularly I have a tendency to become a little gnarly.

Have you ever suffered from writer’s block? Any tips to overcome it?                                                                                                        

I have a lot of book ideas, however, there are times I get stuck in the middle of a story and unsure how to reach the ending I’d planned. The way I overcome this struggle is I write the ending scene then I write a list of ways to achieve this ending. This list helps me overcome the standstill and move on with the story.

What is the best writing advice you have ever received?

When I first started in Romance Writer’s of America I was looking for a critique partner. Someone suggested I talk to Chris Young who was also a newbie in the local writing group. We met regularly to discuss what we learned at the meeting and critique each other’s work. At the time, we didn’t know what we were doing. We’d take the latest advice we were given and rework our stories again applying this suggestion.

Not only did we learn the basics of writing a book but we also built a lasting friendship.

What can we look forward to from you in the near future?

I’m currently working on a May Day novella. This story is a challenge as there are two fairies helping the couple fall in love.

How do you like to spend your free time?

Since it’s summer most of my free time is spent canning. My family and I do a lot of canning, fruits and vegetables for the coming year. We enjoy the freshness of the final product and the fact we know what goes into the jar.

A new activity I’ve added to my schedule is exercising, which has always been a dirty word to me. Back in March I started walking regularly to relieve some stress. I’ve lost weight and I really enjoy the extra energy I have now. On an average, I walk six days a week and have included muscle toning to my regiment.

What was your favorite book as a child/teen/adult? Are you currently reading anything?

When I was a child I struggled to read so reading was a chore not a pleasure. I liked to read biographies about famous people; it was interesting to see how they shaped their own lives. After I graduated from high school my mother gave me a romance book she thought I would enjoy. A lot of people make fun of the old Harlequin books but I learned the joy of reading from them. Now I love to read historical books. Two of my favorite authors are Jodi Thomas’ Westerns and Lisa Kleypas Hathaway series. Currently, I’m focusing on the novella I’m writing so I’m trying not to read.

What is your culinary specialty?

I enjoy baking cookies and bread. I don’t have a bread machine as I love to feel the dough and the kneading process is a great way to relieve frustration.

I have a favorite dish to make called “hay stacks” which is made with chicken and cream of chicken soup.  My family loves it but when I’ve served it to new friends they never come back to visit again. So it’s become a family joke. If anyone would like the recipe I will send it to you.
And now A Taste of Rosemary:

In a small town he had to be cautious. Driving too close to his intended victim would be obvious. He’d lagged back allowing more distance between his car and the one in front of him. When several vehicles exited the highway, he hung back even farther. His prey was no longer insight but he knew the Chevy was still there. He gripped the steering wheel tighter and tried to be patient.

As the city gave way to the mountainous forest, he saw his opportunity; pressing on the accelerator he started to close the space between them. Now, in this isolated wildness, he needed to move in for the kill.

No one would find a body or the missing vehicle for some time. This was the perfect set up. No witnesses. No surveillance cameras. For once and all, he could loosen the chain around his neck and live a carefree life again.

He sped up and still no sign of the other tail lights. The driver must have turned off to another road. He’d passed countless side roads since entering the highway. Finding which road the other vehicle used would be impossible.

He wiped his hand across the back of his neck. Pulling over to the side of the road, gravel crunched beneath his tires. He pounded his fist on the steering wheel. He’d quit his search for now. He’d find his victim another time. Then he’d free himself from his burden.





To follow the rest of Rosemary's tour click here

    LINKS: website www.rosemaryindra.com

    click Amazon BUY link

    Rogue Phoenix Press link

 Many thanks for regaling us today, Rosemary.         Pleasure to meet you!
Rosemary will be awarding a signed cover flat to a commenter at every stop and a $20 Starbuck's GC and their name in her next book to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

 LEAVE A COMMENT TO ENTER THE PRIZE DRAW

A Warm Welcome to Christine Young writing as Ann Christine

First a little background on Christine:

Born in Medford, Oregon, novelist Christine Young has lived in Oregon all of her life. After graduating from Oregon State University with a BS in science, she spent another year at Southern Oregon State University working on her teaching certificate, and a few years later received her Master's degree in secondary education and counseling.

 Now the long, hot days of summer provide the perfect setting for creating romance. She sold her first book, Dakota's Bride, the summer of 1998 and her second book, My Angel, to Kensington.

 Her teaching and writing careers have intertwined with raising three children.

  Christine's newest venture is the creation of Rogue Phoenix Press (click link). Christine is the founder, editor and co-owner with her husband. They live in Salem, Oregon.

Here's the blurb for Safari Moon

Solo St. John, a wildlife photographer, is preparing for a trip to Alaska.  Suddenly, Solo finds women of all sorts invading his privacy, his home and his office, all cooing nonsense words and blatantly throwing themselves at him.  Solo doesn't know why, and he has no idea how to rid himself of the persistent women.  He finally decides to beg a favor of his best buddy Nyssa Harrington. 

In love with Solo for the past ten years and knowing he doesn't return her feelings Nyssa doesn't want to talk to Solo.  She knows if she accepts his phone call, she will not be able to resist the temptation to hope again.  

Now Christine Reveals...

1.      In a couple of sentences, describe the hero’s character. 

Steven Oliver Lawerence O'Neil St. John, AKA Solo, is an extremely likeable character. Handsome, charismatic, intelligent and playful, he has all this going for him, yet he acts like a normal guy. He doesn't know he this great a catch.

2.      What do you like best/least about him?

The best of solo is his fun nature. The worst is his inability to see what is staring him in the face. He has tunnel vision when it comes to his relationship with Nyssa.

3.      And the heroine?

Vanytha otherwise known as Nyssa is generous to a fault. She is intelligent and hard working. Her career began as an investment broker on Wall Street but she soon grew tired of the constant stress and decided there were better things in life than making money. Her worst fault is that she cannot say no to Solo when he asks her on adventures.

4.      How do you relate to her?

Other than hardworking we don't have a lot of similar traits. Of course I love the fact that despite all the things Nyssa goes through, she never really gives up on Solo.

5.      Who controls the story – you or your characters?

Oh my, I always start out in control. When in the story I loose control of the characters varies with each book. It rarely takes the characters very long to take over their story. After all it is their story to tell. And when the characters begin talking to me, watch out. Once they are speaking they don't stop.

6.      What do you think are the main ingredients for a successful book?

In a romance the characters have to be likeable. And I ask, if you are reading a romance and either the hero and heroine are terrible people, will you keep reading? I won't. Characters are so important to a romance and to other books as well. If a reader hates a main character they will most likely stop reading or finish the book unsatisfied. I doubt he or she would recommend the read to another person. After that component of a good romance there are other essentials. The plot must progress in a logical manner and quick pace. POV or point of view must be maintained; one person's pov per scene please. I truly get annoyed with head-hopping. Other elements would be turning points as well as the black moment. But this only touches on a few factors.

7.      What do you most enjoy about writing romance?

Weaving the characters together so the puzzle is complete by the end of the story. In Safari Moon Solo and Nyssa pretty much knew each other's weaknesses. They had been friends for ten years. They called on each other whenever they were in need. Unknowingly they were slowly progressing to a relationship other than best friends.

     8.      What do you like best and least about writing?

Solving the puzzle is my favourite part of writing. The dialogue is fun to write and I really like to write descriptions when I have visited the setting of that particular story. Deadlines are difficult to deal with. Most of the time the deadline is my own. But I find it difficult to stay in the character's head if I keep thinking about the date I have to have this finished.

9.      Have you ever suffered from writer’s block? What would be your tips to overcome it?

I don't get writers block very often. In fact I can only recall one time and it was recent. I had a plan for the hero and heroine. Unfortunately they didn't like this plan of mine. When I finally let them talk to me, I discovered this pair were not the hero and heroine. They actually loved different people. Once I heard their voices, the rest of the story was easy to write.

10.  Do you have a writing routine?

Oh my, a routine would be nice. My life daily takes so many twists and turns that I can rarely schedule any time for writing. But when I can, I write in the morning and edit in the afternoon or evening. Speaking of routines gone awry, my two-year-old granddaughter just arrived.

11.  Anything special you require to keep the creative juices flowing?

Reading other books really helps inspire me to write more. I love to write and so it doesn't take much. Also travel brings new ideas. Just a location can create a new world. I visited Atlantic City last fall and have a book waiting in my head. I just don't know when I will get to it. I have books on Hawaiian legends. Each legend is another story. Geez, and my haunted castles call to me every day.

12.  What can we look forward to from you in the near future?

I have a new release coming out in June. It is a futuristic. I loved writing this because there were no barriers. I created the world and enjoyed every minute. Rebel Heart is the first in a three book series.

13.  How do you like to spend your free time?

What spare time? Well, I like to spend quality time with my family. I love to travel. Right now I only have some short trips planned, one to Eagle Crest just outside Bend, Oregon, coincidentally the city where Safari Moon begins. Other spare time is spent on: reading, knitting, needlepoint, jazzercise, running and walking.

14.  What would you most like to accomplish this year?

A huge accomplishment for me would be to finish the edits on my third regency romance title A Marriage of Inconvenience. If I could do that, I would be a very happy  camper.

15.  What is your culinary speciality?

This was a hard one because I love to cook. But my family loves my homemade cinnamon rolls. Now that the kids have all moved away, I only make them for Christmas morning breakfast. They would all be so upset if they didn't seem them on the counter.

16.  Any exciting plans for the near future?

We are looking forward to a trip to Athens, then Santorini, Crete, and last Albania. Hoping to see and take photographs of lots of castles.
Finally a Taste of Safari Moon

Wanted: A professional wildlife photographer to take pictures in the Alaskan wilderness. Experience first hand a real safari moon. Call(555)381-1252 or send resumes to 2286 Main, Suite 2D Bend, Oregon.

Solo St. John was in the middle of an erotic dream about his buddy, Nyssa Harrington, when the click of his front door shutting brought him to instant alert mode. 

Solo looked up, caught a flashing glimpse of a good deal of naked flesh; long legs, perfectly rounded derriere, and a waist he could span with his hands. The intruder's long blond hair curled around her shoulders an inch above the ties of her bikini top.

 

Then he saw the skunk. He blinked twice.

 

This woman and the skunk were not the subject of his brief and very strange dream, a fantasy that made his mind speed along at sixty in a residential zone. This was someone he had never seen before and he resented the intrusion.

 

"Hello," she cooed seductively from his living room. "Will you come out and play?"

 

The skunk stuck a black and white head around the open door to his bedroom. A second later the animal turned and lifted his tail before disappearing into the living room.

Solo was out of bed and pulling on his jeans before the count of five. Yet in that short time, the lady in question, along with the skunk that was now exploring his fireplace hearth, had taken over his living room.

 

The lithe, supple blond sported an expensive camera, and all the while the lady in question babbled nonsense words.

"I'm willing, able, and eager." She posed for him, a pose meant to entice.

Follow all the blog tour

 

  Read more about Christine at these links:   Christine's website

 Rogues Angels blog    Facebook     Twitter    and  BUY Safari Moon

Now leave a comment for the chance to win one of these great prizes:

* A Safari Moon bookmark to one randomly drawn commenter at every stop.
* ebook copy of The Gift (partof A Valentine Anthology) and StarCrossed (part of St. Patricks Day anthology) to one randomly drawncommenter during the tour.
* One commenter during the tour will win the right to have a character namedfor them in her next release--either GhostDance (a western historical romance) or Rebel Heart (science-fiction romance)
* Two randomly drawn commenters during the tour will each win a $25.00 GC toStarbucks
* The host with the most comments (excluding the author's and the host's) willwin a $15 GC to Starbucks

Thank you so much for dropping by, Christine. It has been a pleasure to meet you!