In the Author Spotlight

PATRICIA BATES

CONTEST: I’m delighted to put up for offer a copy of my latest book Phantom’s Pleasure, a Paranormal romance, for giveaway. To enter to win, simply respond each day I’m featured between November 1 and November 6. On November 7, 2010 I’ll be announcing the winner with the most posts. You can leave a comment, post a question, or just say hi!

I’m also proud to announce that I’ll be giving 2nd and 3rd place prizes. These special little bags will be a hand crafted clutch type bag with some ‘bling’ in it.

AL: Hi Patricia! Welcome back to Blog Bites.

Patricia: Thanks for having me this week.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Patricia: Wow, life is hectic as always. I’m currently looking to expand on my editing business as well as learning the ins and outs of teaching because I’ve been invited to share my knowledge with a group of Intermediate students locally.

AL: What book would you like to share with us?

Patricia: I’m super excited to be sharing with you the newest book to my back-list. Phantom’s Pleasure is my first foray into the paranormal genre, and is a fun, saucy book about a 19th century Southern Belle that haunts her familial home – and falls in love with the playboy cowboy that current resides in it.

AL: What other tales are you weaving?

Patricia: I have three books in the works at the moment. One is still in the planning stages, and is about a lady outlaw set in the 19th century USA. I’m working on completing the 9th century Irish Celtic romance I’ve been workingon for over a year, and am polishing up a short Historical Romance I’m going to be submitting to HQ in the next few weeks!

AL: Have you ever wanted to write your book in one direction but your characters wanted to go in another direction. What did you do in such a situation?

Patricia: All the time. When I first started writing (after I was pubbed) I would do these intensely detailed outlines for each chapter that were 20 or so pages…and after chapter five I’d look at them and shake my head because the story was going in another direction. I’ve learned to plan for the first chapter, get the characters to meet and then let them do the hard work of writing the novel…saves me having to ditch a perfectly good outline! LOL

AL: What do you like best about writing? What is your least favorite thing?

Patricia: World Building!!! I love to be able to create a world that readers can fall into and experience through the characters. Its always been the most fun to do, especially when you’re dealing with historical places, events, people. Least fun would have to be writer’s block. I hate it with a passion. Not only do I find it to be a perfect opportunity to procrastinate but if the characters aren’t talking to me its frustrating, I like to be able to keep the pace of my writing strong throughout the process and writer’s block hinders that.

AL: What do you hope for your writing career in the next few years? Any goals that you have yet to obtain that you have set for yourself?

Patricia: I would like to get at least two books on audio. I have a lot of fans who like to listen to books when they’re traveling and can’t take my books with them so that sucks. One thing that I have set for myself and haven’t quite succeeded at is to get NY pubbed. I’m hopeful with my HQ submission but again, until I have the contract in hand its still in the planning stage and not a reality.

AL: Time to get personal! What favorite movie; or T.V. show makes you hunker down on the sofa and settle in for the night? Favorite Movie?

Patricia: Anything with John Wayne in it. If its one of his westerns I’ll watch it for hours because he’s such a great actor. Just recently, we got a new channel called Investigative Discovery – which has a lot of awesome shows on it…one of which is called Deadly Women and I’ll shut down for that since it features some of history’s most lethal women…like the Blood Countess – now there was a scary woman!

AL: What annoys you enough to be considered a pet peeve?

Patricia: Having someone call me at 8 pm and ask me if I’m eating dinner. LOl doesn’t sound like much but when you get that call every night, 7 days a week, it gets annoying quite fast. Doesn’t help that the entire conversation is the same every night – same five questions, same distracted tone…but hey they’re family so you have to luv ‘em!

AL: Sometimes people envision an author’s life as being really glamorous. I like to set them straight, so tell us what’s the most unglamorous thing you’ve done in the past week?

Patricia: Having to explain to someone the difference between writing and breathing! A lady I met said that writing was a hobby, something I should do in my spare time…of course I had to explain to her that for me, writing, is as natural as breathing! Word the wise – don’t try to convert those who have no idea what they’re talking about! Let them hold onto their illusions.

AL: When you have time just for you (if only) what do you do?

Patricia: Watch reruns of the Young Riders, crochet, watch tv. It’s not often that I get “me” time so I tend to wallow in it and let my creative batteries recharge.

AL: Fun question! If you could meet someone famous in either history, or present day…who would you like to meet and why?

Patricia: I’d have to say Queen Bouddica. A powerful, influential woman leader in her own right, who led her people to greatness in the face of an enemy that ultimately either enslaved, slaughtered, or overruled all other nations for the sake of the glory of Rome! I’d just like to find out what she was thinking when she went against the Roman army for their crimes against her and her daughters.

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Patricia: "Perseverance is much like an ink well….top it up and you’ll never run out!" – Patricia Bates (taped to my office wall) "Success is like chocolate, once you’ve had a taste you can’t help but go back for more!"

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Patricia.

Patricia: Thanks for having me. Its been great and I hope everyone has lots of questions!

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Patricia please visit:

http://www.patbatesromances.com/
http://www.scarletscribeedits.com/

FEATURED TITLE: PHANTOM'S PLEASURE

Blurb:

What’s a one hundred and forty year old ghost to do when she’s drawn to the rugged cowboy in her home? There’s only one thing Frances MacKenny can do…seduce him. Amid deceit, weddings, angry ex-lovers, and general insanity, Frances wants Logan Harris any way she can get him…including their haunting nightly tryst.

Excerpt:

The shower shut off. Curiosity plagued her, and she stepped around the door. Steam swirled and danced around Logan as the shower door swung open. The silk of her skirts slipped from her fingers, and her jaw dropped, heat flooding her face. Dear Lord, is that even possible? At the sight of the man who stepped from the shower, she cupped her burning cheeks and whimpered. Lust fired through her.

Wet, auburn hair was plastered to his skull. A shadow covered his square jaw. Broad shoulders, tanned by hours spent under the sun, glistened with water. Silvery beads glided over his sculpted chest, trailing through the hair that narrowed along his belly to the wild patch around the base of his penis.

As he stepped from the shower and reached for a towel, thick, muscled legs bunched and gathered with each movement he made. She swallowed at the sight of his manhood, swinging back and forth with the motion. She moved closer. Without a thought to how her actions would be taken, she raised a hand and trailed one finger down his chest, following a drop of water over the toned muscles.

His gaze lifted, a shiver coursing through him. Could he feel her touch? Was it possible?

“Dear Lord! What have…?” She blinked. A wave of heat crawled along her neck. Clasping her hands to her breasts, she backed away from him until she passed through the wall and obliterated her view. Fanning herself desperately, Frances turned and high-tailed it back up the stairs to her private retreat.

“Oh, goodness me.”

REMEMBER: Will be offering a copy of her latest book Phantom’s Pleasure, a paranormal romance, for giveaway. To enter to win, simply respond each day she is featured between November 1 and November 6. On November 7, 2010 I’ll be announcing the winner with the most posts. You can leave a comment, post a question, or just say hi!

She's also proud to announce that she’ll be giving 2nd and 3rd place prizes. These special little bags will be a hand crafted clutch type bag with some ‘bling’ in it.