AUTHOR'S CIRCLE grills KATE MCMURRAY

Dear Readers, for the next few weeks I'm going to introduce you to a bunch of authors writing across a variety of subgenres of romance. Some are my friends, some acquaintances. All of them are fun. 

Today, AUTHOR'S CIRCLE interviews Kate McMurray, an award-winning romance author and an unabashed romance fan. When she’s not writing, she works as a nonfiction editor, dabbles in various crafts, and is maybe a tiny bit obsessed with base­ball. She has served as President of Rainbow Romance Writers, the LGBT romance chapter of Romance Writers of America, and RWA’s New York City chapter. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Find out more at Kate McMurray's

WEBSITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER 

1. So Kate, what’s your personal brand of romance?

I say “Smart, savvy, sexy” on my website, which I think about sums it up: I write smart characters, most of whom live in cities and have sexy romances with each other.

2.Where do you get your inspiration from, in stories and in life?

All over. It really varies. I try to always have my eyes and ears open. I’ve drawn inspiration from parts of my own life, from pop culture, from books I’ve read, from music, from New York City. I think inspiration is really everywhere.

3.How do you do your research?

Depends on the book, but I do a lot (A LOT) of research. A lot of it can be found on the Internet, but depending on how in-depth I want to be, I have to do a little more digging. I have a ton of reference books and I read constantly—including a lot of nonfiction—so that’s part of it. For my historical romances, I’ve watched documentaries and gone to museum exhibits and read piles of books, which is actually work I really enjoy. I listened to a lot of baseball podcasts when I was writing books like Out in the Field because I wanted to get the vernacular right. I’ve also tracked down people who work in professions I’m less familiar with and pestered them with questions. I’m a little obsessed with accuracy; I dread people reviewing my books and finding factual errors.

4.Who is your favorite character in your book/books?

Very difficult to choose. It’s kind of a toss up between Drew from Blind Items, who has a lot of me in him, although he is male and faster with a witty comeback; Troy from Across the East River Bridge, because he’s kind of the embodiment of my perfect man—sexy and intellectual, and he wears glasses; and Ty from The Windup because he’s good at making everything seem easy, even when it isn’t.

5. Difference between love and lust?

I think each can exist without the other but they also enhance each other when they are together.

6.What do you think of the Tall, Dark and Handsome trope?How does it work for your heroes, and when does it not?

I don’t really write alphas, and I like to vary the sorts of men who appear in my books—some brainier, some more athletic; some tall, dark, and handsome, some short and ginger—but I also think romance is about the fantasy to a certain degree. So not all of my heroes are going to be everyone’s type, but the two protagonists in a romance novel should be each other’s types. So, if a hero is tall, dark, and handsome, that better be the best thing on the menu to the love interest.

7.Your favorite romance author or a memorable one you read that you must share with our readers.

I have a lot of favorites and books I lend out a lot. Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale is my favorite historical of all time. I love Jennifer Crusie’s and Kristan Higgins’s and K.A. Mitchell’s and Heidi Cullinan’s contemporaries. I love Jordan L. Hawke’s Whyborne & Griffin series, which is a paranormal historical gay romance series set 1900-ish. K.J. Charles has become one my autobuys—I love how she incorporates historical detail in her books. Um… that was a lot. I read many things.

8.In what way are your romances different from their mainstream counterparts? Let’s talk diversity.

My books aren’t different, not really. My published books all happen to be romances between two men, and not all of those men are white, but they employ a lot of the same tropes and conventions as mainstream romances. I believe pretty strongly that love is love and romance is romance and it should all be shelved together, regardless of the protagonists’ race or gender. 

9.The nicest gift you have received from a loved one!

Well, writing-career-wise, my dad bought me my first computer when I was a freshman in college. It had a 3 GB hard drive and took up most of the desk in my dorm room, but I did a lot of writing on it in between classes.

10.What would you cook up for a romantic dinner?

I like to cook Italian food, so it would probably be some kind of pasta dish. I make a pretty good carbonara.

11.On a date - would it be jeans and a top or a long sexy gown?

I am definitely more on the sexy gown end of the spectrum, although realistically, I’d probably pull a cute dress out of the closet. My wardrobe is kind of a riot of colors and patterns.

12.Your favorite fragrance.

I like clean, subtle scents. I’m allergic to a lot of floral scents and perfume ingredients, but I like things that are light and sweet, mostly.

13. Share a little something about your work that no one knows about yet.

I have a ton of works in progress going all at once, including, but not limited to: a historical set in the Gilded Age in which one of the protagonists is loosely based on one of Mrs. Astor’s social directors; a novel set in the fashion industry; a road trip romance; and a light romantic suspense series that revolves around a law office. I’m also playing around with an idea for a paranormal series, but we’ll see if I can make that work.

And that’s it. Thank you for visiting my blog, Kate, and allowing us a peek into your life.

Do check out all of Kate McMurray's romance novels HERE. 

Next author on this blog will be Piper Huguley. 

AUTHOR'S CIRCLE interviews K.M.Jackson

On Author's Circle today, we have my good friend Kwana, who writes contemporary romance and women's fiction as K. M Jackson. But, that's a super tepid introduction to my loquacious comrade-in-arms for all writer-related (and some non-writer-related events) and I feel I must do better. 

One thing you'll never guess about Ms. Jackson is that she's into Bollywood movies. Big time. She knows who Ranveer Singh is! Have we shocked the chiffon off you yet? No? Then keep reading.

Hi Kwana, thanks for dropping in on my blog and letting me grill you. 

Thanks so much for having me. It’s a pleasure to be here. And you were right, Dil Dhadakne Do was hilarious and such a pleasure for the eyes. :)

I told you! But, let's talk turn the spotlight on you now. 

How would you describe your book...one of your books and you pick which one...in 20 words or less without using the blurb? 

When a straight-laced financial analyst, Nick Ross, tangles with a curvy fashionista, Gabrielle Russell, he’s finally met his perfect match.

State a random fact about yourself that would surprise your readers. Oops. Already told them about the Bollywood fetish.

That's okay. Another random fact about myself is I love doing hand crafts. Knitting, crochet, decoupage, paper crafting. It doesn’t matter as long as my hands are busy and I’m creating something.

What started you on your journey to be a writer?  

I’ve always has a love of books and as a kid on my long commutes from one end of Manhattan to the other to school I had two career dreams. One was to be a fashion designer and the other was to be a writer. After high school I went on to FIT and worked in fashion for 10 years as a designer. A few years after having my twins I left the world of fashion and went on to pursue my dream of being a writer.

If you weren’t a writer, what you would be? 

I guess the obvious answer to this after the last question would be a fashion designer, but there is a third dream that’s been nagging at me and it speaks to my controlling heart. I wouldn’t mind seeing myself as a movie director, bringing my words to life on the big screen.

Movie director!!? Haha. I'll be your screenwriter or your camera-person then. 
Do you have any advice for unpublished authors? 

Don’t give up. I have more rejections than I can count. Seriously, I stopped counting years ago but something in my spirit would not let me give up on myself and I’m so glad I didn’t. If your first book doesn’t succeed move on to the next and then next. If this is the career for you then you will get better over time and it will happen.

Do you see yourself in any of your characters? 

Gabby, my heroine in THREADS OF DESIRE is quite dear to me. Out of all my Creative Hearts heroines she’s the one with my old career of a fashion designer. And I love her because with her story I decided to show the not so glamorous side of fashion that’s more prevalent and more real than what’s been more predominantly shown. As for the rest of Gabby’s antics in the book, I’ll plead the 5^th.

What was your favorite scene? 

My favorite scene in THREADS hands down is the sexy times scene with the grilled cheese sandwich. A) Because I love when a man cooks for a woman and B) what’s not to love about grilled cheese?

Where can readers find your books? 

My book are on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo & ARE-books

Here are links for THREADS OF DESIRE:

AMAZON

NOOK

iBOOKS

KOBO

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS

Now, where do you get your inspiration? 

Inspiration from me comes from just about anywhere. I find inspiration when driving and listening to music on the radio, when surfing the web, while watching reality TV and even in church. I never know when it’s going to hit so I try and always keep a notebook nearby.

Let's talk about reading and not writing. What book is currently on your nightstand? 

I’m currently reading The Brightest Day: A Juneteenth Historical Romance Anthology by Kianna Alexander, Alyssa Cole, Lena Hart and Piper Huguley.

Ooh. I have The Brightest Day on my TBR list too.
Do you prefer Twitter or Facebook? 

Twitter all the way because I love the immediacy of it. Though I am active on Facebook and have both a fan page and a private fan group for the ride hard TEAM KMJ members where I check in daily, do book chats and at time do Flash Giveaways. Folks can click here to join: TEAM KMJ FB 

Folks, be sure to check out Team KMJ! But first, answer these fun questions:

Favorite place in the world? 

Paris so far but New York is my heart.

The last book you read? 

Back To You by Lauren Dane

Have you ever Googled yourself? 

Yes. Is this a bad thing?

Hope not, or we're both doomed. :O
Vampires or werewolves? 

Vampires

Do you ever run into someone who says “You write WHAT?” 

Yes, those books. *sigh* I mostly try and brush it off, but on my better days I take the time to give a bit of an education on “those books”.

Morning person or night owl?  

Night Owl.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, who would you want for company? 

That all depends on the day & my mood. I’ll say my dear DH because I’m in a good mood.

What’s your favorite vacation spot? 

Somewhere with a beach and some warm sun.

If I give you a time machine, what time period and in what place would you travel to? 

I really don’t know. The past has not been so good to my people and I’m a worrier so hmmm on the future. I had better stay put.

If you could visit any place in the world or a place created by a book, where would you visit? 

Another stumper. Am I really a writer?

Erm. Yeah. You are. If you could write outside your genre what would that be? 

Historical Romance

If you could write with anyone who would that be and why? 

I’d write a 2 hour episode of Scandal with Shonda Rhimes heavy on the Sweet Baby jam and Vermont with a Love Bunker for #HuckleberryQuinn. Need I say more?

Of course, you'd want to write for Scandal :) You Scandal-buff.

What are your thoughts on ebooks? (i.e. love them, hate them, wave of the future) 

I was reluctant to love them but they have grown on me. I love having such easy access to so many books.

Would you mind sharing your future projects with us? And, if you could ask your readers one question, what would it be?

Right now I’m working on the first novella in my Flirty Fashionista series for Samhain which launches next May and I’m playing with ideas for my Unconventional Brides series with Kensington’s Dafina line which debuts in 2017 so lots in the works that I can’t wait to share.

As for a question for the readers I’d love to know how sexy they like their romance. Closed door, Cracked with just a peek inside, or wise open and showing it all?

Which brings us to...where can your fans find you?

For readers to keep in touch or learn more I can be found on my blog. You can also find me on Facebook either at my official page or on my private TEAM KMJ Page.  Here are the links:

BLOG

FACEBOOK

TEAM KMJ

TWITTER 
NEWSLETTER

And something that's very dear to me and my stand as a writer is the #WeNeedDiverseRomance campaign. Promotional Tees for the campaign can be found HERE. Please show your support, lovely readers.

Thanks for doing this interview, Kwana. I love bringing readers and authors together on my blog. :)

Thanks so much for having me and for featuring THREADS OF DESIRE. This has been a pleasure!