Author Name: Julie Lynn Hayes
Book Name: When Will I Be Loved
Release
Date: June 7, 2015
Blurb:
Miller Fenwick
wants the kind of happy ending his best friend got, with the hunky werewolf of
his dreams. Trouble is, there doesn’t seem to be a Prince Charming on the
horizon, and casual encounters don’t cut it anymore. Now that Alexx and Raoul
are engaged, Miller is becoming resigned to being the bridesmaid, never the
bride. But a chance encounter with a sexy stranger at Charisma has his hopes
soaring, and his heart is wide open to possibilities.
Holt Wynne is
the head of Helios, the largest vampire organization in the country. He’s a
very influential and wealthy man, with a deep-seated hatred of werewolves. His
running into Miller at Charisma isn’t entirely accidental. He’d meant to wait,
but his emotions got the better of him, and he couldn’t stay away. And now see
what he’s done…
Wait until
Miller finds out he’s sortof just gotten married to the sexy vampire who hates
the people who are Miller’s best friends. Sparks are gonna fly—and not just in
the bedroom. One thing for sure—life in Crescent Bay is never dull!
Pages or Words: Approximately 115,000
words
Categories: M/M Romance, Mystery,
Paranormal
Excerpt:
Miller forced himself to take a breath, unaware
until he did that he’d stopped breathing.
Quit
being ridiculous. Wine going to your head already?
But he’d only had the one glass. And he hadn’t even
finished that. He wasn’t such a lightweight, when it came to holding his
alcohol, and he knew it.
He told himself it was just his imagination. But
just to be safe, he began a slow cautious turn, looking around him, without
appearing to be searching for anything—or anyone.
And there he was.
Standing a heartbeat away from Miller was one of the
sexiest men he’d ever seen in his life. A man every bit as sexy as Raoul
Marchand, although not in the same feral way as the werewolf.
This man was light where Raoul was dark. His hair
was a honey blonde which stood out by virtue of being obviously natural, in a
place where most blondes were either created by the sun or came from a bottle.
He stood a little taller than Miller, exuding a presence that went beyond the
merely physical, possessed of the bearing and mien of a veritable god.
But it was his eyes that drew Miller in and held him
spellbound. Blue and green, like staring into tropical waves, flecked with bits
of pure molten gold. And the way he was staring at Miller was sending the most
delicious shivers traveling up and down his spine.
The man took a step toward Miller, his hand
outstretched. Before Miller quite realized what had happened, he’d placed his
own hand inside of the other man’s, and he found himself being drawn onto the
dance floor.
About the
author:
Julie Lynn Hayes first began publishing short stories and poetry in the
1990’s, when it was a different ballgame altogether, and Ebooks hadn’t been
dreamed of yet. That changed in 2010 with the acceptance of her first romance
novel. She’s come a long way since that first book appeared, and is finding the
journey a very educational one.
She lives in St. Louis with her daughter Sarah and her cat Ramesses. She
often writes of two men finding true love and happiness in one another’s arms,
and is a great believer in the happily ever after. She likes to write in
different genres, to stretch herself in order to see what is possible. Her
great challenge is to be told something can’t be done—she feels compelled to do
it.
When she isn’t writing, she enjoys crafts, such as crocheting and cross
stitch, needlepoint and knitting, and she loves to cook, spending time watching
the Food Network. Her favorite chef is Geoffrey Zakarian. Her family thinks
she’s a bit off, but she doesn’t mind. Marching to the beat of one’s own
drummer is a good thing, after all. Her published works can be found at
Dreamspinner Press, eXtasy Books, Wayward Ink Press, and Amber Quill Press.
Where to find the author:
Publisher: Amber Quill
Cover
Artist: Trace Zaber
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Prize: 1 copy of When Will I Be Loved and 1 copy of When
Will I See You Again or if winner has that, another book from my backlist
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And now for the interview!
1. How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing since I was about nine years old, so almost fifty years now. Jeez, does that sound as terrible as it does to me?
2. What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?
The basic tenet of good writing holds true to this day – show, don’t tell. Too many authors are content to tell the story, but a good author shows it, and allows the reader to see, to feel, to hear, along with the characters. The other way may be quicker and easier, but it isn’t better, and it doesn’t require much skill.
Good writing engages the senses, makes you see, hear, smell, and feel. Good writing engages your heart, and makes you care, even if you don’t want to. Feel the anguish, the sorrow. Experience the love, and the laughter.
Good writing comes from the soul.
3. What comes first, the plot or characters?
Usually the characters come first. It’s a little hard to have a plot without them, although it can be done. That’s kind of a chicken and the egg question. Sometimes a plot will come, and the characters will be right there too, almost simultaneous. They almost hatch together lol Other times, the characters talk to me, and the plot just begins to flow as I write. Which leads to the question of do I use an outline, and the answer is not really. I have an idea where I’m going, but I like to allow for organic growth and unexpected occurrences, rather than be locked in to something rigid and fixed.
4. Tell us something about your newest release that is NOT in the blurb.
If I told you, I’d have to kill you. There’s a reason why you don’t spill everything in the blurb lol
Okay, I can tell you this much. My vampire, Holt Wynne, does not get along well with Raoul Marchand, werewolf. Whodathunkit, right?
5. Are you working on anything at the present you would like to tell us about?
I’d be glad to! I’m currently working on a fantasy novel with friend/author Chris T. Kat. It’s the first of three books, and the first book is The Prince and the Mercenary. Our book has elves and centaurs and flying horses – oh my! I’m also writing my first PI novel, also to become a series, about PI Holden Heidegger. And I’m writing the third book in the Moonlit Skies series, Be My Everything.
6. What are you reading now?
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie.
7. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
I have to say there are two authors who have influenced my writing the most, and I think my style reflects them, although I am an amalgam of many authors. Those two are William Faulkner and PG Wodehouse. I know, strange combination, right? From Faulkner, I learned how to write mile-long sentences. I admire his ability to do just that.
Also, the worlds he creates, such as the fictional Yoknapatawpha County in Mississippi. His people seem like people you’d meet anywhere, but especially in the South (and I won’t even go into the guy who was caught screwing a cow). On the other hand, PG Wodehouse has the most delightful sense of humor.
He created Jeeves and Wooster, who are a great pair (and although they are not a couple in the books, you can find a lot of fanfiction which will say otherwise). I think humor is an important part of my writing, and sometimes it’s dry and kind of British. Also, because I’ve read so many of the classics, I think my writing tends to be more formal than not, although when it comes to sex scenes, I can get down and dirty with the best of them J
8. What did you want to be when you grew up?
I’ve wanted to be many things as a kid, but writer was always my first love. People always told me I had to do something else, so I tried to think of other professions. I wanted to be an archaeologist at one time. As a teenager, I planned to join the Air Force and go to law school too. After that, I planned to join the Foreign Service and see the world. But my first love is and always has been becoming a published author, and I’ve done that.
9. How do you do research for your books?
Sometimes I do a lot of research, depending on what I’m writing. Most of that takes place on the Internet, but I also use the library, and I sometimes pick the brains of my friends. The majority of it, though, is through the Internet.
When you’re building worlds, every detail counts, even if you’re making things up, you need to have a certain amount of grounding. Also, if you’re creating an alien world, having a basis in the human world can be helpful. In a Sci-Fi WIP I’m writing with a friend, she based some of her character’s ecological concerns on actual problems on our planet, but gave it an alien twist.
The more you know, the more realistic your writing. In When Will I See You Again, I gave one of the main characters, Raoul Marchand, a Ferrari to drive. I know nothing about Ferraris, so I not only looked up info, and looked at pictures, I watched videos to see how they handle. So when Alexx sees the controls of the car for the first time, I know what he’s seeing, and why he reacts the way he does.
When I co-wrote My Fair Vampire with SL Danielson, I did a lot of research on the 1904 World’s Fair, and the times. I found a map of the fairgrounds, and was able to place the house where our protagonists live nearby. I made sure I knew what inventions were available at the time and what didn’t exist. That can make a great deal of difference with an historical novel.
I don’t mind doing research, it can be very interesting. And attending to the small details can often make your writing better.
10. What was the scariest moment of your life?
That would have to be the moment twenty-five years ago, when my daughter Sarah almost died. At a week of age, she was diagnosed with coarcation of the aorta, and we were told she’d have to have surgery, probably about the age of two. But when she was a month old, she suddenly got sick, not eating, and becoming lethargic. We rushed her to the doctor’s office, and they immediately called an ambulance, even though the hospital was literally next door to the office. From there, they flew her by helicopter to Children’s Hospital and operated. Knowing she might die was the scariest moment of my life.
11. What are your favorite TV shows?
I admit to having favorites. The list might vary, depending on what’s showing at any particular time, so I’ll go with current shows/favorites. My favorites are Forever, Gotham, Blacklist, Hannibal (cheating a little here, it doesn’t come back until June 4), Grimm, Ripper Street, Vikings. Also, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Columbo and The Odd Couple. I also love shows on the Food Network, such as Chopped, Cutthroat Kitchen, and Restaurant Impossible. My favorite chef is Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian.
12. Is there a writer you idolize? If so who?
If there is such a person, I think it would be Mike Carey. He worked with Neil Gaiman on the Sandman series of comics (or graphic novels, if you prefer) and then was given the commission of branching off with one character to a spin-off series. That series is Lucifer, which I am enamored of, and have read all the volumes twice. He developed a very complex character in Lucifer and didn’t take the easy way out with the old legends of Lucifer as the devil.
Rather, he leans toward the Fallen Angel aspect, and these stories are very amazing in all the things he packs into them. I simple marvel at how his mind works, and how he was able to create such a marvelous version of Lucifer. Whenever I compile a list of favorite authors, he is always on it, and often at the top. After Lucifer, he wrote a series of novels featuring an exorcist named Felix Castor, which are simply wonderful.
So yes, I do idolize Mike Carey.
13. Do you have a favorite quote or saying?
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams” – Eleanor Roosevelt
14. If you were on the staff to have a book adapted to movie, what would you pick?
Oooh, ooh, that’s an easy one, because I dream of having this happen. It would be Revelations (I assume you meant one of my books lol). I think it would make a great movie, and I’ve cast a few of the major roles. Judas would be Ian Somerhalder, whom you might know from Vampire Diaries and Lost. He does snarky very well, and he is extremely easy on the eyes.
Although my Judas is blond, I would forego that to have Ian play him. Ian has beautiful blue eyes, and he can make you cry when he’s being dramatic and intense. And he’s sexy as well. For Mary Magdalene, I’d choose Pink, because she would fit the role perfectly. She’s bold and out there and in your face – I can just see her and Ian/Judas squaring off.
For Lucifer, since he is patterned after Lucius Malfoy somewhat, I’d select Jason Isaacs, and have him put on that platinum wig again, and how hot is that? For Jesus, I think I might choose Francoise Arnaud, who played Cesare Borgia in The Borgias. Interesting side note: while looking up the actor’s name, I discovered that the iconic images of a Caucasian Jesus with which the world is familiar are actually based on the image of Cesare Borgia, and were the work of his father, Pope Alexander VI.
Finally, the suggestion for who to play God comes from my daughter Sarah. She chose Donald Sutherland, with long white hair, and I have to agree, he would be perfect.
15. Favorite color?
Midnight blue
16. Weather: Hot or cold?
Hot
17. Favorite non-alcoholic drink.
Coffee
