Interview of Author Sue Swift

Today I'm pleased to present an interview of romance author Sue Swift.

Latest Book: Lord Devere’s Ward
Buy Link: http://bit.ly/DeveresWard

BIO:
Best-selling, award-winning author Sue Swift, a.k.a. Suz deMello, has written seventeen romance novels in several subgenres, including erotica, comedy, historical, paranormal, mystery and suspense, plus a number of short stories and non-fiction articles on writing. A freelance editor, she’s worked for Total-E-Bound, Liquid Silver Books and Ai Press, where she is currently Managing Editor. She also takes private clients.

Her books have been favorably reviewed in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus and Booklist, won a contest or two, attained the finals of the RITA and hit several bestseller lists.

A former trial attorney, her passion is world travel. She’s left the US over a dozen times, including lengthy stints working overseas. She’s now writing a vampire tale and planning her next trip.

Q: How did you celebrate publishing your first book?
A: I bought myself a diamond ring :)

Q: Your novel is being made into a TV series/movie. Who’s in your dream cast?
A: Quin, Lord Devere, is not conventionally handsome, so I’d choose Benedict Cumberbatch. For the heroine, Kate, I’d love to see Jennifer Lawrence play her, but I’d like to see her play just about anyone. She’s sooo talented. Anne Hathaway would also do a good job.

Q: What’s your writing schedule like? Do you strive for a certain amount of words each day?
A: I wish! Life is far too tumultuous for that. I’m lucky if I can wrote a page or two. But that’s okay. Life isn’t lived in front of a screen.

Q: What is the most important thing you do for your career now, as compared to when you first started writing?
A: Promo and marketing. When one first starts, there’s nothing to promote.(Those were the days!)

Q: How much of yourself is hidden in the characters in the book?
A: Nothing deliberately hidden, though I’m sure that my characters reflect me in some way or another. After seventeen books and a number of short stories, I can’t really draw on myself or folks I know. That would be boring, and boring the reader is fatal.

Q: Of all your characters, who’s your favorite, and why?
A: I’m extremely fond of Kate Scoville, the young heroine of Lord Devere’s Ward. She’s kind, smart and plucky.

Q: If you could change something about your first book, what would it be?
A: Nothing. I loved it. Maybe the size of my royalty statements LOL.

Q: Do you eat comfort food/listen to music when writing?
A: I don’t eat anything around my computer and drink water, which I keep a safe distance away—I’m notoriously clumsy. I create a playlist for each book I write to get me into the mood for writing that specific book. For example, I wrote two sheikh books for Silhouette romance, and listened to music from the Kite Runner, which evoked the Arabian theme nicely.

Q: Give one advice tip to an aspiring author.
A: Read excellent writing. The usual advice is “read within your chosen genre,” but candidly, there’s a lot of bad writing out there. Read excellent craftspeople—Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Rita Maw Brown. And read the classics.

Q: If you could give a younger version of yourself advice, what would it be?
A: Shed fear. That advice is based on my view of the universe, which is itself based on science. Everything is composed of energy—even solid objects are slow energy. Einstein taught us that. And, as energy is neither created nor destroyed, but conserved or transformed. We have always been here and will always be here, eternally. Thus, there’s nothing to be afraid of.

Fun Stuff:
Q: What is your favorite holiday and why?
A: OMG, I only get one? It would be either Thanksgiving or Halloween. I love autumn to begin with, and Halloween is just fun,fun, fun, all the way. And I love the meaning of Thanksgiving, to be grateful for the many blessings we all enjoy.

Q: What are two things people might be surprised to know about you?
A: I dream about climbing the face of Half Dome with nothing but a bottle of Snapple peach iced tea and sunscreen as equipment.

I’m a part time Dominatrix.

Q: As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A: I really didn’t know, but I can say that writing was the furthest occupation from my mind.

Q: Favorite food.
A: My go-to grub is pasta.

Q: Favorite happy memory.
A: Hanging out the window of my then-boyfriend’s Mercedes the night that the Raiders won the Super Bowl...we were in Jack London Square, and everyone was happily smashed, chanting, ”We’re Number One!” It was hella fun.

Q: Favorite drink.
A: Prosecco.

Q: Hot summer days or chilly winter nights?
A: Hot summer days, absolutely!

Q: What is the top thing on your bucket list?
A: Living in southern Italy or Spain for an extended period of time.

Q: If you could have a super power, what would it be?
A: Enlightenment.

Tell us where to find you: website(s), publisher’s page(s), blog(s), Facebook page(s), etc. List them all!
Find her books at http://www.suzdemello.com/
For editing services, email her at suzswift@yahoo.com
Befriend her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sueswift
and visit her group page at https://www.facebook.com/redhotauthorscafe
She tweets her reading picks @ReadThis4fun and @Suzdemello
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/suzdemello/
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/SuzATGoodreads
Her current blog is http://www.fearlessfastpacedfiction.com/

BLURB:
Orphaned Kate Scoville is trapped in a tower prison by her scheming uncle, who plans to wed her to his loathsome son in order to gain control of her fortune. Plucky and resourceful, Lady Kate escapes to London to ask for help from her guardian. She's sure the elderly Earl of Devere will help her in her plight.

Kate is astounded to find that the Earl has died, and his son has become her guardian. Quinn, the present Earl, remembers Kate from his childhood as an awkward child he loved to taunt and tease.

But now his ward has grown into a beautiful young woman. Though honor prevents Quinn from making Kate his, their attraction is irresistible…

Will Kate tempt Quinn into abandoning honor? Will the wicked uncle trap Kate, compromise her and steal her fortune?

EXCERPT:
Kate smiled at Quinn. "I believe I've won your prize, my lord."

"So what shall you demand of me, sweet Kate?"

She tipped her head to one side and regarded him, still flirting with her eyes, her smile. He could tell she was nervous, yet expectant. He did not know if he should encourage her.

"I'm not quite sure yet." She touched the tip of her tongue to her upper lip. "What do you have to give me, my lord?"

His voice rasped in his throat. "Quinn. Please, call me Quinn."

"My lord Quinn," she said, with just a trace of mocking good humor in her tone.

"Kate," he said, taking her chin gently between his long, strong fingers. She quivered slightly but did not pull away as he stroked her cheek. Her response rippled through her body as he drew her into his arms.

Yes. The first kiss was as sweet as he had known it would be. For a few moments, he forgot why he had denied his desire, and hers, for so long.

As he touched his lips to hers, it was as though a spark flashed between them, igniting their emotions. Their mouths caressed and danced. When his tongue sought admission, she did not refuse him entry. He groaned as his embrace tightened, pulling her onto his lap. She reached up, touching his shoulders, tentatively at first, then with more confidence as their kiss deepened. Her arms wound around his neck as he held her close. He could feel her breasts, barely confined by the flimsy muslin, pressing against his chest. Her heartbeat was quick as a rabbit's, and knowing she was excited aroused him all the more.

When they finally parted he regarded her with amazement. "My darling Kate. Where did you learn to kiss like that?"


Anything else you’d like to add?
Not really LOL—you’ve covered it all!