Welcome debut romance author Tina Vaughn! CONTEST!

A huge welcome to debut romance author Tina Vaughn! She's super sweet and I have her first book, NO SWEETER LOVE, on my TBR! It sounds amazing, doesn't it? Read Tina's awesome list of most frequently asked questions and leave her a question/comment of your own to be entered into the drawing to win her book! Now go forth and comment!

When I first announced that I was writing contemporary romance, those who knew me best weren’t surprised. I mean, I’d been reading romances for nearly twenty years.

Co-workers and acquaintances, however, looked at me like I’d grown horns. Not cute Cari Quinn horns, either.

They stared at me like I was a gnat floating in their lemonade. I guess they couldn’t reconcile that the serious, introverted news hound who spent her weekends tracking five-year trends in newspaper circulation was also a—gasp—romance author. 

In the months between “The Call” and my debut release, the initial shock has worn off, to be replaced by unabashed curiosity.

Oh, my. The questions, they just keep a comin’.

So, here they are. The top ten questions I get asked along with the best answers I can give. 

Where do you find inspiration for your stories? Anywhere and everywhere. Song lyrics, news articles, a couple walking down the street or fighting in a restaurant.

Why romance? Guaranteed happy endings. Life is full of dark, depressing news. When I read and write I want to know that my “once upon a time” ends with “and they lived happily ever after.”

Your husband must be really lucky, huh? (Usually some snickering dude asks this question.) Humph. Yes, he is. I’m a really good cook, if I do say so myself. And, though I refuse to iron, I do some laundry. My snoring is infrequent, and I don’t hog the covers. Yep. He’s living the good life.

What are you going to do with all that money? Wait. Writers get paid?

How do I get published? If I knew the answer to that, then I probably would be a millionaire. There are many paths to publication, so do your homework. Research is important and key to finding a path that is right for you. The only thing I can tell you with surety is this—read and write. Write what you love. And don’t give up.

How long have you been writing? I’ve been writing short stories ever since I learned to spell “cat.” In elementary school, I used to write my friends’ love letters to their boyfriends in exchange for Mickey Mouse ice cream bars. I actually got my first job as a newspaper reporter when I was only seventeen years old. I’ve been reading romance since I was twelve, but I finally started writing it in September 2009.

When do you write? Mostly late nights and weekends. I work a full-time job as a newspaper editor. Combine that with all the responsibilities of a wife and mother…shew. Most days I’m hanging on by the tips of my in-desperate-need-of-a-manicure nails.

How long does it take you to write a story? It depends. I can write a novella in about a month, a category-length in about three months. If I stayed off Twitter and Facebook, then I could probably reduce that time by half.

Have you read Fifty Shades of Grey? No. I haven’t. I’ve added it to my TBR pile though.

Can I have a free book? Well, one reader can. Answer this question: Why do you read romances? Just leave a comment to be entered into a drawing for an e-copy of No Sweeter Love, a novella from Ellora’s Cave. Please be sure to leave your email address so I can contact the winner.

Blurb

Blush sensuality level: This is a sensual romance (may have explicit love scenes, but not erotic in frequency or type).

Welcome to Union

Population: 994

Town motto: Where no secret goes untold

His father’s death forces Dr. Ryan Williams to return to the home—and the woman—he’d left behind ten years earlier. Ryan knows it’s best to avoid Union sweetheart and police officer Emily Winters during his visit. But how? Stuck in this small town, fighting an attraction that hasn’t diminished over time, the sparks are unavoidable—and so are the rumors. The same rumors that made him leave Union in the first place…

Experience taught Emily to keep her guard—and her panties—up. Until Ryan returns as suddenly as he left, tempting her with promises she already knows he can’t keep. Or so she thinks. This new adult Ryan is one capable of forever and, God-willing, forgiveness. Because even as they learn to trust and love each other again, Emily knows once she reveals her secret, heartbreak is inevitable.

Website: www.tinaevaughn.com

Blog: http://tinaevaughn.blogspot.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5838046.Tina_Vaughn

Ellora's Cave: http://www.jasminejade.com/p-10018-no-sweeter-love.aspx

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/No-Sweeter-Love-ebook/dp/B0084IMTCC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337663705&sr=8-1

Twitter: @tinaevaughn