Friday, October 29, 2010

Welcome Friday Friend Sherry Gloag

Today I welcome fellow rose author Sherry Gloag.

It's going to be so much fun learning more about her and her new release, "THE BRAT". Hi, Sherry.

Why do you write in the genre you do?


I love the concept of romance and what it means to different people. And I love people watching. I enjoy the inter-action between them when they forget others can observe their behaviour. I may not hear what they are saying to each other, but in a way that makes it even better, because then I can lay my own interpretation upon the actions.

If I could hear what they were saying, I’d probably have it all wrong, but it doesn’t matter because it gives me the freedom to allow my imagination to run rampant and create my own scenes around my observations.
We live in a world and age surrounded by stress and anger. Therefore, when I read, I read to enjoy, to escape, and, for a brief time to believe in a stress-free zone. Or at least a zone where everything wraps up neatly in a HEA. And now, when I write, I find I focus on the consequences for my hero and heroine of actions - either their own, or those of others - hidden in the past.

In my debut novel, The Brat, my heroine, Gina Williams, and my hero, Ben Kouvaris, have to come to terms with actions taken by their mothers twenty-five years ago. Now when Gina and Ben come face to face for the first time, they find those actions, like a stone thrown into calm waters ripple out and have far-reaching consequences for the most unlikely people.

Both Gina and Ben have some major lessons to learn, ghosts to lay, and beliefs to re-arrange before they have the remotest chance of their HEA.

Do you have a writer’s cave or are you able to write anywhere anytime?

I always try to carry a pen and note pad with me wherever I go, so I can jot down ideas and even expand them, so in that sense yes I can ‘write’ anywhere, but my chosen spot is at a desk in a bedroom where I can work ‘uninterrupted’ . I when I say ‘uninterrupted’ because that particular message hasn’t quite filtered down to those who need to know. :-)

How do you spend your down time?

When the weather is good, and this summer we’ve had the sun, accompanied by a killer
Autumn, I’m so pleased to be here today, thank you for inviting me.
north wind, I love to work in the garden or go walking. The walking time is often used to discuss problems with the characters. While writing The Brat, very few of ‘my’ ideas went into it. The characters had definite ideas and kept me in line while I wrote.

I love reading. Romance, obviously is a major part of my reading. I also enjoy mystery and detective stories. Crystal craft work is another major source of relaxation for me.

What was your favorite scene to write?
This is a difficult question to answer, because I am not a plotter, so I’m never quite sure what’s going down on the page until I read it back. So there are many scenes that truly surprised me. But to answer your question, the scene that stays with me, is the one when after she’s spoken on the phone with Ben’s father she faces her ‘ah-ha’ moment. She discovers she has some major adjustments to make and has no time to practice as she finds Ben waiting for her with questions of his own.

What do you consider your weakness and what strategies do you use to overcome it?

ROFL! Autumn I almost fear to expose the fact I’m seriously grammatically challenged, in case any potential readers take to their heals and run in the other direction, instead of to the ‘buy button’ or book store cash register! :-)
How did I overcome it? I’m not sure I ever will, as there are some long-term school issues involved. I have taken online classes and have two or three sites I visit if I need answers. And I do belong to a wonderful online crit group and several members are grammar whiz-kids who soon put me right. In the final stages of preparing The Brat for publication, I worked with a fabulous editor and she also offered suggestions.

You recently had a new release. Could you tell us where we can find you?

The Brat, published earlier this month by The Wild Rose Press, is my debut novel.

Buy The Brat from The Wild Rose Press = http://bit.ly/d5nVDC
And at Amazon = http://amzn.to/bclDhY
My Website = www. sherrygloag.com/
My blog = http://bit.ly/bnuELA
Book Trailer = http://bit.ly/9O6j6C
Facebook = http://bit.ly/daeGN7
Goodreads = http://bit.ly/bTOzHC
Twitter = http://twitter.com/SherryGloag

Autumn, thanks you very much for inviting me to join you today. I’ve loved being here.


Blurb

Gina Williams has a secret and prays it is buried with her childhood persecutor, Em Kouvaris, as discovery will ruin her reputation as a famous children’s author. She soon discovers the son, Ben Kouvaris, new owner of her publishing company, has uncovered her past and is making demands. Will he ruin her career if she doesn’t comply?

Ben Kouvaris is blown away by the unknown beauty at his estranged mother's funeral, and when his father demands he marry, immediately, to secure the family business, he knows just who he wants as his temporary bride. But can Ben persuade Gina to trust him?

Excerpt for THE BRAT

“I guess life diverted your dreams.”

The earlier light-hearted banter between them vanished. “Yes.” Ben signalled the waiter, passed over his credit card, and rose.

She leaned forward to pick up her bag just as her phone rang. Without checking the caller ID she took the call.

“You think I don’t know what you’re up to?”

The last time she heard that voice the Inspector had walked into her house seconds later. The phone almost slipped through her fingers, and she swung away from Ben’s perceptive stare.

“Who are you? What do you want?”

“You won’t deny your family’s existence for much longer, I promise you.”

The dial tone buzzed in her ear. Dear God in heaven, what did that mean? She’d never denied her family! They’d deserted her.

21 comments:

  1. Oh, Sherry. This sounds like a great read. Please tell us more.

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  2. Morning Ladies - interesting blurb.

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  3. I can't wait to read it!!!! Good luck!

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  4. Great feature of you Sherry! And I know what you mean...I am not a plotter either!
    Loved the excerpt! You certainly hooked me!

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  5. Thanks for having me here today Autumn.
    I hope all your final wedding arrangements are going without those pesky last minute hitches.
    What I'll do is post a complete-scene excerpt in The Brat for you on my blog, and when you have a moment it will be easier to pop over there and take a peek.
    Have a great day tomorrow. :-)

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  6. :-) Glad you found it interesting P L Parker. I forgot to leave a link to the excerpt I'm posting on my blog for Autumn, so will do it here. Thanks for coming by.

    http://sherrygloagtheheartofromance.blogspot.com/

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  7. Mary R, When you do, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it. Ben and Gina will stay with me for a long time, I love them both so much. :-)

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  8. :-) Renee. I treid, I really did, but I just cannot plot my stories. Pprobably because the character like to take over. In The Brat it worked a treat. With my current WIP (a re-write x lost count!) I swear I could deck both my h & h at times!!
    Thanks for coming by.

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  9. For anyone who'd like to read it, the excerpt is up now at http://sherrygloagtheheartofromance.blogspot.com/

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  10. I'm adding this book to my to-buy list.

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  11. Hi Sherry,
    Great interview. I wish you every success with The Brat

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  12. Sue, thanks for coming by :-). I hope you enjoy the read.

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  13. :-) Megan, thanks for coming over, you know I appreciate it.

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  14. Blessing Caroline :-) I hope you have a wonderful w.end. Thanks for joining me today.

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  15. Great excerpt! Best of luck to you, Sherry. "The Brat" sounds awesome. :-)

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  16. Hi Sherry,

    Congrats on your debut. I've seen it posted on the TWRP website!

    I used to be an exclusive romance reader, but lately I've been switching off for a mystery now and again.

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  17. Sherry, You had a great bunch here today. I'm just sitting for a second and catching my breath. Tomorrow will be here soon enough and it will be a long one. Thanks for the best wishes. Please cjeck back over weekend as I always have others stop by.

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  18. Maeve,thanks foryour kind words, I'm glad you enjooyed the excerpt. I made some leaflets to hand out during my booksigning and added that excerpt to the back of the leaflet.

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  19. Debra, thanks for coming by, I know what you mean. It's like turning a corner and discovering something new out there, knowing we can go back anytime we want to :-) And of course now, more and more mystery and romance are married in one book so you get two-for-one!

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  20. Autumn, I'm amazed you had a second to pop by yesterday, and as I write, I hope your wedding festivities are going just the way you planned and you are all having an awesome day.
    And, yes, :-) I'll keep popping by,

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