I shared with you previously Con
Riley's beautifully classic feeling cover for her new book Recovery...well
I want to share more with you now—and I was lucky enough to get the wonderful
Con to answer a few questions too *winks*
So let's dig into this cookie...um...great now I
want cookies *heads desk* lol
A quick hello about Con Riley: Con Riley lives on the wild and rugged Devonshire coast, with her
head in the clouds, and her feet in the Atlantic Ocean.
Injury curtailed her enjoyment
of outdoor pursuits, so writing fiction now fills her free time instead. Love,
loss, and redemption shape her romance stories, and her characters are flawed
in ways that makes them live and breathe.
When not people watching, or
wrangling her own boy band of teen sons, she spends time staring at the sea
from her kitchen window. If you see her, don't disturb her—she's probably
thinking up new plots.
Find Con Riley here:
And now for the interrogation...muahahahah
*coughs and sips coffee* sorry, lost it there for a moment lol...
Question time:
What is your writing regimen? Do you have a
certain word count you have to hit daily? Are you flexible with your writing
times or strict?
I’m a little unusual in that I don’t have a year-round writing
regimen, and I avoid specific word-count targets. Numbers scare me!
Like many authors, I have a day job that demands much of my time and
attention. Thankfully I’m extraordinarily lucky; I love my work. It’s valuable,
rewarding, and fills my heart as well as my head. So, writing happens in fits
and starts, squashed between day-job deadlines. Last year I worked part time,
and I wrote a lot. This year, I’ve worked full time, so I’ve written less. I’ll
be working part time again next year, so I’ll enjoy the luxury of a little
extra time to finish some writing projects.
Where do you get your ideas from?
I’ve had an interesting and varied career working with families
under pressure. The people who had the most profound impact on me — the ones
who left lingering impressions — find their way into my books.
Are you a pantser or plotter – tell us how it
works for you.
I hoard story ideas like treasure. I note down every passing thought
on my phone, and then mentally turn them over and over until I’m sure the story
is fully formed. I write the last line of the story on a Post-it and stick it
on the wall next to my desk. That visual reminder of my ultimate goal is my
entire plan.
Do you prefer unusual names for your characters
or classic names? List a few of each that you've used.
I had a very narrow escape with an unusual character name in my
first book. The Internet lied to me about a name’s authenticity. AFTER BEN was
midway through the production process when a friend read an ARC and told me I
needed to change it. Talk about a lucky escape!
Since then, I double and triple check my name choices. I use census
records to ensure they are appropriate for the age of the character, and I try
to make surnames region-specific too, if I can.
Choosing some names can be easy.
Joel, Morgan, and Jamie were names I simply knew were right. Gabe and
Ariel in SALVAGE belonged together right from the get-go. Other names take
forever to select. One character in RECOVERY had three names before I settled
on a final choice. Poor guy!
I’ve learned to keep an ongoing list of names. After five novels I’m
running out of easy choices!
You've hit a wall in the story you're
writing...how do you blow that obstacle out of your way?
I can’t recall hitting a wall in a story, but I have struggled with
epilogues. I’ve had to rewrite several from scratch, and on reflection the
reason is obvious: I never want the story to end!
The ending of RECOVERY has made every reader so far cry. Pushing
through that wall to give the book an ending that connects with readers on an
emotional level is worth the struggle.
Thank you for having me!
And thank you for coming back to us...*winks*
Now...a book that can bring me to tears...this
is a book that piques my interest! Let's hear a bit about it...
Now...for the blurbage:
San
Diego is a city of second chances for Jamie Carlson. His new career as a
photographer is taking off, and with the support of a loving surrogate family,
he’s finally putting his party years behind him. The Bailey
family helped him solve his drinking problem, but there’s no easy solution
to staying sober now that Belle Bailey’s dying. Her last wish is a challenge
Jamie can't overcome without help.
Solving
problems is Daniel Priest’s specialty. More than twenty years older than Jamie,
he’s successful and experienced. He makes his living resolving corporate
crises—but his personal life has been far from perfect. Now that his marriage
is over, Daniel’s determined to make up for lost time. One night with Jamie
isn’t nearly enough for him.
Daniel’s
honest offer of help is more than Jamie expects from a one-time hookup. Even
so, fulfilling Belle’s last wish is a tall order. Repairing her damaged family
as she requests proves difficult when Jamie has to face his own past as well.
Jamie could risk his
hard-won recovery by admitting why he hit rock bottom in the
first place. If he wants a future with Daniel, he'll have to address those
reasons head-on.
Pick up your copy of Recovery here:
All the cool places that Con Riley will be:
Tour Dates: May 19 - 23
Tour Stops:
Now for the goodies...play around with
Rafflecopter link and see if you can get lucky *winks*
And a great big smack dabbing thank you to
Pride Promotions for again making it possible to
be here with you... :)
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