Interview of Author Suzanne Rock

Today I'm pleased to present an interview of romance author Suzanne Rock.

Latest Book: Honor Bound
Buy Link: http://www.eredsage.com/store/HonorBound.html
Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfS91eKJ_7g

BIO:
After over a decade in the scientific world, Suzanne needed a creative outlet. She tried scrap booking, cooking, crocheting, painting, and piano, none of which held her interest for very long. Then one of her friends suggested writing. Thrilled with the idea of creating her own worlds, she opened up her lap top and never looked back.

When Suzanne’s not writing, she can be found playing with her two daughters, testing her husband’s latest kitchen creations, or curled up with her favorite romance novel in her central Massachusetts home.

Q: What’s the first thing you did when you received word you’d sold a book?
A: I have a ritual of sorts. The first thing I do is tell my husband, then I tell my critique partners and close writer friends. Then I celebrate with a glass of wine.

Q: Who is your favorite character in your book and why?
A: The hero, Akito, is my favorite character. He lives his life by the samurai code, which is a very Zen/Buddhist existence. He has a code of honor that he must follow and puts duty above all else – even his most desperate wants and needs. It was fun to watch him deal with first discovering that the love of his life was alive, then realizing that his code, the only thing that gave his life any meaning in his absence, demanded that he sent her to her death. The conflict and tension was enormous, and it was interesting to see how it would all play out.

Q: Do all your heroes and all heroines look the same in your mind as you “head write”?
A: Not really. When I first start plotting a book, I surf the Internet looking for actors, models, and other people who seem to portray the type of character I want. When I find a picture, I save it on my hard drive and refer to it when I need inspiration. Just as each person is different, each picture I choose is different.

Q: Do you eat comfort food when writing? If so, what food inspires your imagination?
A: I don’t eat comfort food, but I do have a comfort drink. ;) I drink red wine while drafting and coffee while editing. Sometimes, if I’m editing late at night or if I’m not feeling well, I’ll drink herbal tea.

Q: What’s your strongest point as a writer?
A: I love writing dark and edgy. I’ve also had a lot of people tell me that my books are very suspenseful, although they aren’t considered romantic suspense or thrillers.

Q: Facebook, MySpace, Blogs, Chats, or Twitter. Which do you like best and why?
A: Anywhere where I can interact with readers one-on-one. I love the more personal interactions of twitter and chats, and prefer them to the more formal and general blog posts.

Tell us where to find you: website(s), publisher’s page(s), blog(s), Facebook page(s), etc. List them all!
Okay, here you go!
http://www.SuzanneRock.com
Backlist: http://suzannerock.com/?page_id=126
Workshops: http://suzannerock.com/?page_id=64
http://www.facebook.com/Suzanne.Rock
http://www.twitter.com/Suzanne_Rock
http://www.goodreads.com/Suzanne_Rock
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/suzanne-rock/39/832/9a4

BLURB:
Deep in the Hidaka Mountains, Akito is commissioned to capture the goddess of desire. He expects to use all of his samurai skills to complete the task. What he doesn’t expect is the resurrection of his deceased lover, or the number of immortals who wish them both dead.

Condemned to an eternity of loneliness, Jin curses the day the mother goddess tricked her into becoming immortal. When a seasoned samurai enters her prison, she’s determined to build the man’s desire so she can harness enough strength to break the bonds that tie her to the mountain. As the intruder makes himself known, memories long buried rise to the surface and Jin becomes desperate for Akito to believe the truth – that she is his beloved. Can she earn his trust in time, or will they both succumb to the forces that strive to keep them apart?

EXCERPT:
“Jin. Your name is Jin.”

Jin froze. The stranger didn’t call her Vistaka, but used her human name. How did he find out something so intimate? She blinked and continued drying her hair. His use of her real name should have made her angry, but it somehow sounded right coming from his lips.

“That name lost its meaning a long time ago.” Jin caught his shadow along the rock wall in the periphery of her vision. This man knew much about her, and that was unnerving. Who was this shadowed warrior? She watched the far wall of the cavern and saw his shadow move closer. His earthy scent became stronger, reminding her that his sign, like his scent, was of the earth and incompatible with her water nature. He was hard and unyielding. She was soft and malleable. Was that how he was able to resist her charms?

The shadow raised his arms, and Jin saw the outline of the katana and wakizashi along the rock wall in front of her, the two samurai swords crossed behind her back. Slowly they inched forward until the “v”-opening surrounded her neck. All it would take would be one small jerk of his arms, and her head would become separated from her body. It wouldn’t kill her, she could turn into her spirit form before the fatal blow, but it would be incredibly annoying.

The hairs on Jin’s neck stood at attention as the swords inched closer. What to do? Jin’s mind raced with possibilities. Panic threaded through her body and she did what she always did the only thing she could think of that could calm her nerves.

She closed her eyes and began to hum. It was an old childhood tune, and one she often drew upon when she needed to focus her magic.

The stranger hesitated. “That voice.”

“You like it?” She opened her eyes and watched the wall in front of her. The shadow flexed its fingers around the swords at her neck.

“I knew someone who used to sing that song once.”

“It’s a popular song.” She tilted her head back, then winced as she felt the edge of the blade move against her hair. “You know my name, young samurai, but I don’t know yours.”

The swords wavered, as if the stranger suddenly felt the heavy weight of the blade and adjusted the hilt in his hands. Jin felt his anger weaken and his desire build once more.

“Am I not to know the name of my killer?” she asked.

“My name, like yours, lost its meaning a long time ago.”

She closed her eyes and searched for the answer among the scattered thoughts of his mind. He must have become wise to her powers, for everything was closed to her except for the deep longing he felt in his bones.

She opened her eyes. “It is as you say.”

“Come with me.” He lowered his swords and replaced them within his obi.

Jin glanced over her shoulder at his outstretched hand. “You know I can’t do that.” She waved her fingers in the air. “This is my prison.” Bitterness gnawed in her gut as the words passed over her lips. She cast it aside.

“If you don’t come, I’ll be forced to kill you.”

">Fool. Did he really think he could kill a goddess? “You can’t harm me with your man-made trinkets.”

“No, but I can with this.”

Anything else you’d like to add?
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