With: Cathy McDavid and Sara Orwig
Congratulations to Trude V., the winner in Cathy's giveaway. Thank you to all who participated!
by New York
Times and USA Today bestselling
author
Cathy
McDavid
A secret, no-strings relationship with Aaron Travers
has suited Melody Hartman just fine for the past eight months. The lives of the
Mustang Valley veterinarian and the deputy sheriff have always been
complicated—and are about to become more so, because Mel is pregnant!
Raising his toddler daughter and protecting his
Arizona town are Aaron's priorities. But this unexpected pregnancy is a life
changer. The widowed single dad is ready to do the right thing and marry Mel.
Can he say the three words she is waiting to hear? Will she think he wants to
marry her only because of the baby? Or will she acknowledge that their feelings
for each other run deeper than either of them realized?

1) How did
you come up with the relationship between Aaron Travers and Melody Hartman?
There seems to be a trend these
days for young couples to “hang out together” rather than date --- at least,
that’s what I hear and what my daughter tells me. I gave Aaron and Mel
difficult romantic pasts, which made the idea of a no-strings-attached
relationship appealing to them, then complicated things with an unexpected
pregnancy because, well, life is complicated.
2) What is
your favorite part about writing Western Romance books?
I truly am a lover of all
things western. I owned horses most of my life, grew up watching Bonanza and
Big Valley reruns, and lived the western lifestyle for many, many years. For
me, there is no sexier, more appealing romance book hero than a rugged, good
looking cowboy.
3) Do you
have any traditions you enjoy during early Spring?
You mean besides the mandatory
spring cleaning and yard work? Absolutely! I always attend the Glendale
Chocolate Affair in February and Tucson Festival of Books in March where local
romance writers host two to three days of mega booksignings. I love connecting
with readers, both new and those that drop by every year for my latest release.
Plus, I’m surrounded by books and authors.
4) When
did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
Like a lot of authors, I
started writing at a young age. For me, it was in high school (I actually won a
contest for a children’s book I wrote and illustrated). I didn’t seriously,
however, until twenty years later. And it wasn’t until I finished that first
book that I realized I’d found my passion. Two years ago, I quite the corporate
world altogether to write full-time. It’s been a dream come true.
5) How
long does it take you to write a book?
Two weeks of intense planning
and three months to write the book from start to finish. Of course, I always
wind up trashing some of those carefully constructed plans in favor of better ideas
that strike me along the way.
6) Where
do you get your idea to write about an unplanned pregnancy?
My publisher loves unplanned
pregnancy books, as do readers! Plus, I really do enjoy writing them J All kidding aside, I try to give my couples
big, game-changing obstacles to overcome and, let’s face it, an unplanned
pregnancy is pretty game-changing. I find writing believable reasons for how a
couple finds themselves in this particular predicament and believable scenarios
for how they cope with it to be challenging. Then, there’s the love story. My
guy is going to do the right thing in the end, but he’s going to do it out of
love, not just a responsibility.
7) How
many books have you written? Do you have a favorite?
I’m in the process of writing
my forty-second book. I had to look this up. My more recent favorites are Come
Home, Cowboy and Rescuing the Cowboy. My all-time favorite is The Gate to Eden,
a western historical. It still remains the book of my hear.
8) What
book are you reading right now?
The Sapphire Pendant --- a
young adult novel by Audrey White Beyer from 1961. Part of my ongoing goal to
read classics, especially young adult classics.
9) What
are your current projects?
I’m currently writing the third
book in my newest Mustang Valley series, The Bull Rider’s Valentine. I’m also working
on a proposal for a new three-book series in addition to writing a novella for
release this summer. Yes, these books will all feature cowboy heroes. What can
I say?
10) What
advice do you have for writers?
My best advice is to carefully consider the
advice you receive. Gather as much information as you can from a wide variety
of sources. Then, be extremely selective when choosing what to follow. Opinions
are free and they vary greatly. Trust your instincts. Follow only the advice
that makes the most sense to you.
SARA ORWIG
is an Oklahoman whose life revolves around family, flowers, dogs
and books. Books are like her children: she usually knows where they are, they
delight her and she doesn’t want to be without them. With a master’s degree in
English, Sara has written mainstream fiction, and historical and contemporary
romance. She has 100 published novels translated in over 26 languages. You can
visit her website at saraorwig.com.
by USA Today bestselling author Sara Orwig
Will secrets tear this rancher's marriage apart—or
lead to a reunion?
For estranged husband and wife Tom and Emily Knox, a
heartbreaking loss in their past is keeping them apart in the present. They
still share a ranch, but not a bed. And when the blackmailer terrorizing Royal,
Texas, accuses Tom of keeping a secret family behind Emily's back, they're
thrown into an even deeper tailspin. But could their darkest misunderstanding
contain the seeds of a second chance, as Tom and Emily come together to dispel
false accusations and face their past?

Q & A WITH SARA ORWIG
1)
Describe the relationship between Tom and Emily Knox. Were there
challenges in writing it?
Reunited with the Rancher is about
an estranged couple whose young child has died. My vision for that book
was that losing a child has to be one of the most agonizing, disruptive events
in a marriage. It was a challenge to write about such a loss and so much
pain. The love between Emily and Tom has
to be deep and lasting, strong enough that they can’t give up even in such a
traumatic situation.
2)
What is
your favorite part about writing Contemporary Romance
books?
My favorite part of writing contemporary
romance is just that—it’s contemporary.
There is an immediate feeling about contemporary—it’s today and what is
happening now. It is current places and
fun background things like limos and rodeos and terrific makeovers.
3)
Do you
have any traditions you enjoy during early Spring?
Early spring means my husband and I can get
the garden ready for flowers and some easy-to-grow veggies. We love and raise roses. My favorite rose bush is a Chrysler Imperial.
Early spring means I can walk outside. One spring tradition is at Easter the family
gets together for the grandkids to dye eggs and bake a bunny cake.
4)
When
did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
When I was growing up, I never thought of
being a published writer. As far back as
I remember I loved books. It didn’t
occur to me to try to become a published writer until after I was married. I wrote and sold a short story and then
started writing books.
5) How long does it take you to write a book?
My writing schedule isn’t routine. I had children and now grandchildren. I’ve taught in high school. I’ve also taught at the University of Central
Oklahoma. Later I worked for a state
agency where I retired three years ago, so I don’t have regular hours or a
regular schedule. When I travel, I carry
an iPad. I have a laptop and a PC. I write in airports, in the mountains,
wherever I have some time. There isn’t a
regular, consistent amount of time.
6)
Where
do you get your inspiration to write about a heartbreaking past and a hidden
family secret?
Stories come out of living, going through the happy
times, as well as the painful moments. I’ve
known sorrow and I’ve known joy, so that all goes into my feelings about what
happens to characters in my stories and how they deal with life.
7)
How
many books have you written? Do you have a favorite?
I had my 100th. book out in July
2016, Expecting the Rancher’s Baby, Harlequin
Desire.
This year in January, The
Rancher’s Nanny Bargain, Harlequin Desire, was out and now this March, Reunited with the Rancher, Harlequin
Desire, will be book #102.
My favorite Desire book is a Texas Cattleman’s Club book, The Playboy Meets His Match. My favorite of all 102 books is a
Harlequin Regency Romance, The Fairfax
Brew.
8)
What
book are you reading right now?
I’m currently reading several. Sometimes I read more than one at a time. I’m reading an old book that I love and read
over and over again: The Joyous Season
by Patrick Dennis. I love that book
because I can laugh all the way through it.
I’m also reading Maureen Child’s The
Baby Inheritance, Karen Booth’s Pregnant
by the Rival CEO and Maisey
Yates’s Take Me, Cowboy.
9)
What
are your current projects?
My May book, The Rancher’s Cinderella Bride, Harlequin Desire, is the third book
in a series called Callahan’s Clan, about
Texas best friends whose relationship changes to their surprise. The fourth and last Callahan’s Clan book, The
Texan’s Baby Proposal, Harlequin Desire, will be out this summer and then I’ll
have a new series called Texas Promises.
10) What advice do you have for writers?
My most important advice for new writers
would be to network with other writers. Go
to writer’s conferences and enter writing contests. Advice for writers in general is to stand up
often if you sit to write. Walk, swim,
go to the gym, whatever works. Exercise
is essential for me.
Giveaway:
One lucky reader leaving a comment or email entry will win a copy of both of these books.
Giveaway ends 11:59pm EST March 26th. Please supply your email in the post. You may use spaces or full text for security. (ex. jsmith at gmail dot com) If you do not wish to supply your email, or have trouble posting, please email maureen@justromanticsuspense.com with a subject title of JRS GIVEAWAY to be entered in the current giveaway.
Love the Q & A's!
ReplyDeletejtcgc at yahoo dot com
Great interviews ladies! :)
ReplyDeleteRLR888 @ aol.com
Loved the interviews!!
ReplyDeletevandine3atmsn.com
Both books sound great... I just love the cover for A BABY FOR THE DEPUTY! Makes me smile! :)
ReplyDeletefun Q&As
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
Thank you both for sharing.
ReplyDeletemarypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Relationships are hard. Whether they are casual or formalized by vows, the responsibilities, misunderstandings, hopes, and plans all can get in the way of an open and serious look at just what the relationship is and where it is going. When children are involved, it adds a whole new and strong dimension. It has people making decisions where they put the interests of the children ahead of their own interests.
ReplyDeletelibrary pat AT com cast DOT net